Pet me, Darling
by inlovewithshizaya
Summary: He had planned it for months and finally the day has come. The long awaited date with his beloved. But while Shizuo and Izaya are at it again, they managed to really push him over the edge. - Rated M for first attempt on lemon in later chapters
1. Chapter 1 - Don't mess with Shinra

**Disclaimer: I don't own Durarara! It belongs to the brilliant mind of Ryohgo Narita.**

* * *

 **Pet me, Darling**

 **Chapter 1 – Don't mess with Shinra**

It was such a nice day. The sun was shining; his phone left at home and to top it all he had managed to convince his beloved to go on a date with him. Well, she didn't want to leave Ikebukuro, so they just went to a park near their love nest. It was all set to be a beautiful picnic and even thought his gorgeous enchantress couldn't eat the food laid out before them on the blanket; reason for that would be the lack of a head; they had a really good time. Right now, the underground doctor laid with his head in Celty's lap, letting her feed him some grapes. The two lovebirds had a sickening sweet, lovey-dovey aura around them. Shinra was feeling absolute bliss at the moment. If he would die in a second he would die as a happy man.

Sadly for him this happiness wouldn't last long. Of all places to go, they held their date in Ikebukuro, after all.

It all happened so fast. Just as Celty lowered a strawberry down to Shinra's accepting mouth, a certain raven haired man, clad all in black and a fur trimmed coat, even though it was early summer, sat beside them, snatching the red treat out of the Dullahan's slender fingers, popping it into his own mouth.

"Urgh. Shinra, how can you eat something like that? Disgusting." the ravenette's smirk turned to a frown due to the overly sweet taste lingering in his mouth. The two lovers were dumbstruck. "IIZAYAAAAA!" An almost primeval sounding roar traveled towards their ears. The informant's frown turned back into a smile after hearing his name being called in such a lovely way. "That's my cue." he said standing up before waving at them. "Tataa!" and with that he jumped away from them. Only a second later a trash bin landed on the exact same spot, the slender male was just a moment ago, pouring its content over the food lying on the blanket. Shinra jolted up, the shock evident in his eyes. Izaya playfully gasped at the scene before him, just as the blonde ex-bartender arrived. "Oh my! Look at what you've done, Shizu-chan. How cruel. Just look at poor little Shinra's devastated face." Only now the blonde recognized his two friends sitting on the ground. "Ah! Celty, Shinra. You okay? I'm sorry." he spoke. Even though the Dullahan had no head, Shizuo could feel the piercing glare she shoots him through with, but Shinra was different. He really looked out of it. His eyes the size of plates and mouth slightly a gap. He just starred at the ruined pick nick.

Izaya gripped his shirt right over his heart, his head turning to the side he let a single tear roll down his face. "Poor, Shinra. I bet he planned this for months ago, and you, protozoan, you just ruined everything." The raven now locked eyes with the blond, pointing a finger at him. "Bad, Shizu-chan! Just bad. No bones for you today." he scolded the bigger.

The monster of Ikebukuro gritted his teeth. Hands turning to fists at his side, a mad grin grazed his features while a vein popped on his head. "You really have a death wish, ne. Fucking flea!" Just before the blonde's fist could hit the sly male, Izaya hopped to the side, fleeing the scene, with Shizuo hot on his heels.

Although the Dullahan wanted to follow, them, she thought better of it, trying to snap her fiancé out of his daze. She couldn't see his face due to his bangs hanging over it. "Ne, Celty, darling…" the doctor began. As he lifted his head to look at his love, the sun reflected from his glasses. His smile sending shivers down her spine. Celty would never forget how scared she was looking at Shinra. "Can I ask you a favor?"

 **-o-o-o-o-**

 _Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill_

Like a mantra that single word raced through his mind, while his body raced after a certain rotten flea. He had a peaceful day at work… well as peaceful as debt collecting could go, when the stupid louse showed his face in front of him.

He didn't remember what it was this time, that had him go on a rampage, but still he was out to crush the informant running from him. In between their race, the flea lured him to a park in Ikebukuro, where Shizuo, in his rage, literally trashed the date Shinra had planned out carefully for so long. He couldn't imagine how his bespectacled friend must feel at the moment. Celty had told him a few weeks prior about their date. She looked so happy about it. Well more, about how giddy Shinra seemed about it. The two really love each other and he just ruined this rare occasion for them.

Just now the info-broker turned in an alley way. This was the fortissimo's chance. While running he grabbed a streetlamp as if it was nothing. "Stop right there, you fucking flea!" he shouted before throwing his weapon towards the raven, although he knew his projectile wouldn't hit him. At least that's how it's always been, until now. Suddenly the younger man was wrapped in black strings, shocking not only the raven but also the blonde and so the lamp hit the informant right over the head, instantly knocking him out.

"Fuck!" Shizuo cursed under his breath running towards the black lump lying on the floor. Before he could reach him, the black rider jumped over his head on her motorbike, grabbed the flea and drove away as fast as she came.

"What was that?" The blonde wondered while grabbing a cigarette between his lips. Before lighting it up he thought better of it. After putting it away and placing his hands into his pockets, he started walking into the direction of a certain underground doctor's apartment.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

"Ara~ Celty, my love, you're back." a bespectacled brunette beamed at the sight of his headless soul mate, carrying a lifeless black form with her. The doctor shoved his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "You didn't kill him, did you?" The woman carried the black clad male over to a spare bed laying him on top of it, before producing a PDA out of nowhere. _"Of course not."_ It read.

Shinra beamed at her, getting closer to her for a hug, gaining an elbow to his side instead. Smiling he held his aching side, looking over the unconscious man. "Good. It wouldn't be as much fun otherwise." His grin turned dark. "Now, my sparkling fairy of love- Umph!" Another elbow to the side. "Ouch! Wo… would you do me the favor of working your magic?" Shinra was now curling up on the floor; that last hit was really something. As he turned his head up to look at his lovely future wife, she was standing right next the hospital-like bed, holding one hand over the sleeping Orihara. Shadow-like smoke crept out of her sleeve wrapping itself around the raven, before seeping into his body. The unconscious form arched up and the dark matter came out of him again, beginning to form a black lump on top of his chest.

"Yaay! It works. Celty, it works!" Shinra exclaimed happily, while beginning to prepare all the things he'll need next.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

One hour. One fucking hour! That's the amount of time Heiwajima Shizuo wasted pacing up and down in front an apartment block in Ikebukuro. It wasn't just a random building he was facing. No, in this building lived his best friend and her fiancé, whom he also considered to be a friend. Earlier today, Shizuo had managed to hit his eternal nemesis, Orihara Izaya, with a street lamp, but only because the black rider interfered their fight at the wrong moment. Why she had done such a thing, he wasn't sure, but what caused even more confusion was that she sort of kidnapped the flea right before his very eyes. He decided to go after her and after arriving here, he came to one big conclusion. What is he going to say? Wouldn't it look suspicious that he cared for the flea after hurting him? Whole 'Bukuro knew the fact these two where enemies, so why would he go after him? He couldn't tell Celty and especially not Shinra the real reason he followed the flea's kidnapper. So what to do? What to do?

After an hour of thinking and giving in the urge of smoking a few cigarettes, he turned to the entrance. "Fuck it." he growled out. "I'm just going with the flow." And so he made his way into the building.

Reaching the door of the couple's apartment didn't take him long. As he was going to ring the bell, the door opened, Celty holding her PDA out to him.

 _"You were pacing the streets up and down for a while now. I saw you from the balcony."_

"Oh!" He was slightly surprised. "So that's why she knew I was here." he thought.

"You took my prey." The blonde said scratching his neck strolling in. The headless rider closed the door before taping something on her PDA, but a sudden cry of pain disrupted her. "Ow! Help! He really wants to kill me!"

The fairy and the dept-collector hurried over to the living room, where Shinra was sitting on the dining table looking teary eyed at Celty holding his right hand out. His pointer finger was bleeding. "Celty, he bit me." he whined. The Dullahan's shoulders were shaking uncontrollable, probably laughing.

The blonde frowned. "Who bit him? There's no one else around." A sudden hiss pulled him from his thoughts making Shizuo look at the couch, where a black kitten was sitting on the back rest, glaring right back at him.

 **-o-o-o-o-**


	2. Chapter 2 - Shape of Soul

**Chapter 2 – Shape of Soul**

He had no idea what was going on. The last thing he remembered was running away from Shizu-chan. Then some shadow-like strings wrapped themselves around him, hindering his escape, followed by… pain. It was only a short pain, short but overwhelming. He was out like a light that much he knew.

Somewhere in the darkness he could hear a faint beeping noise. The beeping got louder and louder as he could feel himself waking up. Opening his eyes, they were invaded by a blinding light which made him close them again.

"Look, Celty! He's waking up." he heard a loud happy chirp. He immediately recognized the voice, as his crazy doctor friend. So he was at his place.

 _'Shinra'_ … „Mewl"

Shocked the informant blinked his eyes open. He had tried to say his friend's name, but the only noise leaving his throat was a fucking 'mewl'! "Awww… Celty, did you hear that? How cute~" The underground doctor, had his elbows placed on the bed Izaya was laying on, holding his chin with both hands a gleeful smile on his face. The info-broker's eyes were nearly popping out of his head. Shinra's face was huge! No not only his face. Everything he saw seemed huge.

 _'What the fu…'_ "Nyarrrrr" Shocked at the cat-like noise which again left his mouth, Izaya intended on raising his hand to his mouth, only to stare now at that. The limb he wanted to lift wasn't a hand. No, it was a paw!

Shocked he looked at the rest of his body. His body was all clad in black fur and he had a long slender tail. As he starred at his tail the Dullahan placed a hand mirror in front of him. Startled at what he saw he jumped up a bit. There in the mirror, was a small bundle of black fur with a tail and two pointy ears. Yeah, Izaya Orihara had officially turned into a cat. Damn, he couldn't even call himself a cat; he didn't look like a full grown feline, more like a little kitten if anything. He moved closer to the mirror. His eyes were still red, but as he studied them he could see his widened pupils turning to slits.

At a loss for words he moved his right paw in front of his face again, studying it. He didn't know if he could call them that, but he still tried to move those finger-like limbs, were a cat's claws would hide. Suddenly said claws shot out making him jump again.

"Awww! Celty, he's sooo cute. Can we keep him?" the bespectacled man beside asked his girlfriend looking away from him, while petting the kitten's head. If Izaya could smirk the way he used to, he would have done it, while slashing out at the doctor. "Ow! What was that for, Izaya?!"

 _'Do you really have to ask?!'_ "Hissssss!" While hissing at his **once** friend, the ex-god-among-humans arched his back in a threatening way. At least he tried to. Izaya really liked cats, and he had never come across a cat that didn't look cute in his eyes. And right know he was just a small kitten. What about one of those wouldn't look cute as hell?!

Defeated he laid down burying his head in his paws. Just know, he noticed something he hadn't recognized until now. Before he woke up, he heard a faint beeping noise, and said noise was still there. He looked to the other side of the bed he was laying, spotting a heart monitor in use. Strange. When he looked himself up in the mirror before, he wasn't hooked up to anything. Now he noticed something else. The _bed_ he was laying on was warm and slightly… moving?!

He stood up looking down; spotting something that resembled the shape of a body below the white sheets. Letting his eyes travel up the form he cringed at what he saw sticking out at the end of the sheets. It was him! Not Izaya the cat. No, it was Izaya the human looking god. Hooked up to a heart monitor and an IV, his head wrapped up in white bandages.

 _'What's going on?! Damn, Shinra! I want some answers now!'_ the black cat meowed and hissed at the doctor who got up from his place to hide behind his beloved Celty.

"Ah… I think you want to know what's going on, right?" the brunette asked seemingly scared of the fussing cat. Izaya flattened his ears glaring at the man. "Well… it's entirely your fault! If you hadn't disrupted and even smashed my long awaited date with Celty, it wouldn't have come to this." Shinra spoke standing his ground against the little ball of fluff growling at him.

 _'I don't need your scolding, Shinra. Tell me what the fuck you've done!'_

Even though Izaya's voice only came out in mewls and hisses, well mostly hisses, the doctor seemed to understand him. No wonder, they were friends after all. Past tense! At the moment Izaya decided to deny the friendship between them.

Happily Shinra clapped his hands together, making Izaya jolt at the loud noise torturing his now sensitive hearing. For a moment the doctor looked sorry about that.

"Ah, sorry ne~ You know, without a head Celty doesn't have all of her memories, so we thought she should test out her abilities and so. Just to see what she's capable off, you understand?" The feline's stare told the doctor to go on with his story.

"Last month we found out that she can draw out a human's soul without killing the host in the process. While body and soul are still linked with one another the body falls into a comatose sleep like state and the soul takes shape of the one form which resembles it the most. In your case; a tiny, cute and completely harmless little kitty cat." Shinra said reaching out to pet said harmless cat on the head, only to earn a couple of bleeding scratch marks. "Ouch!" As Shinra retaliate, holding his bleeding hand, Celty took a water spray bottle attacking the cat with it. Out of instinct Izaya tried to flee the ugly feeling of water sprayed upon his fur. He jumped of the bed thinking about on how cats always land on their… **BUMP!** … face…

"Pftft! Aha ha ha ha ha!" the scratched brunette began laughing madly, rolling around the floor. Shaking his hurt head, Izaya stood up trying to take a few steps forward. There was nothing graceful about his movements. Real cats make it look easier than it actually was. The black kitten swayed and stumbled its way out of the makeshift hospital room all the way into the living room. While Shinra stayed behind to disinfect his scratching wounds, Celty followed the ex-human, watching amused at how the male tried hopping on the couch, but failing miserably at it.

 _'Why is it so damn hard to move in this body when it's supposed to be the shape of my soul?'_ the informant grumbled lying defeated on the floor. The headless woman walked over picking him up and sat him down again on the couch before walking out on the balcony to leave him some space.

As Shinra joined his cat-turned friend he sat down on the coffee table watching Izaya stumbling around on the couch as he seemingly tried getting used to his movements.

Pushing his spectacles up, he snickered at him, earning another hiss of the seriously pissed cat. "You have a slight concussion from Shizuo's makeshift weapon hitting you on the head, so the rest will do you some good. And don't worry about your job. I already called Shiki-san and told him the whole story." Shinra explained him. Izaya froze in his movements before hissing more aggressive than ever at the doctor. _'Are you fucking crazy, you dolt?! Who allowed you to call my boss, you freak! Imbecile! Four-eyed jerk! I'm going to slit your fucking throat!'_

Shinra giggled. He could only imagine what words the fluffy one before him was throwing at his head. Izaya was usual really calm and collected. He wasn't the type to swear, but in the rarely case he resented to cussing, it was more like a helpless struggle to offend the other. "Ha ha! Izaya, you shouldn't cuss so much if you aren't used to it. I bet you called me four-eyes just now. That isn't even an insult."

The cat tried to snap his tongue at this comment, but in the end relented to hissy fits. "Don't worry. Shiki-san only laughed at it, saying hopefully you would learn your lesson. Although he wants you back in two weeks. So look at it as a kind of vacation."

 _'Vacation?! That's no vacation, you stupid ass! WAIT! Don't tell me you intend on letting me stay that way for two fucking weeks?! You can't be serious!'_

"More hissy fits, huh?" Shinra laughed. "But I really have no idea what you're talking about." _'Tch! As if. We've been friends for years now and I know you understand Celty, even though she doesn't have a freaking head.'_

The doctor laughed more at the grumbling meows the other let out. "I bet you're cussing even more right now. Ah, how sad you can't talk. It's always so funny seeing you losing your temper. I always wanted to show Celty how funny you look like when doing it. She never believes me when I tell her about it." The cat widened its eyes at that. "Nyah?! Mya meow nyargh!" By now, Shinra had to hold his stomach. It really hurt from all the laughter. He could just imagine Izaya saying: _'You- what?! I thought you… No! I'm not considering you my friend anymore.'_ The deep huff and the fact that Izaya turned his head away from the brunette only brought out more laughter from the young man.

Celty walked back in to the living room, going straight out into the hall. Izaya clawed at the back rest of the couch clumsily crawling on top of it. As Shinra watched him with glee, he reached out to help him, by pushing him from his butt. Reaching the top the informant instantly turned around biting down on the right pointer finger, drawing blood. At least he got the scratching and biting done without fail. That should count as a victory, right?

As Izaya drawled back, his victim hurried away from him jumping on top of the dining table, screaming in pain. "Ow! Help! He really wants to kill me!" The cat rolled his eyes at him. _'What a wimp.'_ he scowled. Sudden movement at the door turned his attention to it. At first he was surprised at seeing the monster of Ikebukuro behind Celty, but as Shinra began crying out to Celty again he directed his most menacing looking glare he could manage in the form he was now, right at the blonde brute.

Widened caramel colored eyes looked right back at narrowed crimson ones. Shizuo began strolling over to the cat, looming over him, starring down. The black cat's ears and the flicking of his tail, showed his angry state. Still locking eyes with the tall blonde, Izaya narrowed his head, refusing to raise it up, just so he could look up at Shizu-chan. No! He wasn't' the one looking up to others. He was the one looking down. Even in this form, he was still a god, watching over his beloved humans and the single monster walking among them.

As the protozoan lifted a hand, the cat stood on all fours, trying to look as intimidating as possible. And then it happened.

 **-o-o-o-o-**


	3. Chapter 3 - Taking home a pet

**Chapter 3 – Taking home a pet**

He was prepared for the protozoan laughing at him, he even considered the tall man lashing out at him, but he never considered THAT a possibility. Shizuo Heiwajima, also known as the monster of Ikebukuro, was petting his head. At first the black cat was just taken aback but then it came to him.

 _'Right, Shizu-chan doesn't know I'm a cat now.'_ said cat, once known as Izaya Orihara thought to himself. But as the petting still hadn't stopped, instead gained a few strokes over his fluffy back in between, he lifted his head starring at the blonde's face. He was smiling. It wasn't a big mocking smile, he thought it would be. No. Rather a calm, gentle one that made his spine tingle a bit. _'Wait, what?! What am I doing here? I can't let that protozoan mock me that way.'_ With new found determination he bit down hard on the man's hand. _'Heh! What now, you beast? Are you going to punch a small little animal?'_ Still biting down he glanced up, eyes widening in shock. The brute was still smiling down at him, lifting his other hand to the cat's face. For a moment Izaya thought Shizuo was going to kill him, closing his eyes in anticipation. Instead he felt the blonde's free hand softly grab his jaw, gently squeezing it making him open his mouth almost automatically. _'What the…'_ he meowed looking at the blond who dragged his hand back from the cat.

"I didn't know you guys had a cat. It's really cute." the blonde smiled down at the small thing, not knowing that in reality said cute cat once was his enemy.

"He just buried his teeth in your hand and you still think it's cute? Oh! And besides that's not our cat, that's Iza-" An elbow to Shinra's side made Izaya consider the thought of raising Celty's loan for future jobs, even though it was too late to reduce the damage that had already been done. Or was it?

"So, the flea has a cat? Hmm… Never thought he had a caring side to him." _'Beast!'_ The informant mewled at the ex-bartender, resulting in Shizuo crouching down to eye level, chin resting on the back of the couch, Izaya was still sitting at.

 _'I'm so glad that you're a stupid protozoan.'_ he said, though the blonde only could hear a string of happy meows. Laughing at the black kitten, he gently tabbed its nose. "You're just as talkative as your master, ne?" Backing away from the touch, Izaya plopped down. But before he could hit the ground a big hand caught him.

"Easy there." Shizuo sat down on the couch placing his catch securely on his lap. Just as Izaya wanted to shout and scratch at the monster instead of thanking him, a finger began scratching behind his ear making him lean in on the touch as he began to purr. He couldn't tell what came over him, but he blamed it entirely on his feline instincts, that his former enemy's touch felt so good. Shinra was now sitting on the coffee table again as he watched the raven haired male happily kneading against Shizuo's tight, whilst the blonde began stroking and patting the cat with both hands. A devilish gleam made its way on the doctor's face.

"Sooo… It seems you really like cats, Shizuo." he began speaking as a new plan formed in his mind. Celty sat down next to the two enemies watching them both with great interest. "Yeah, they're really cute and fun to watch. You remember my brother's cat, Dokusonmaru? I sometimes watch over him when Kasuka's away from home." By now Izaya was laying on his back letting Shizuo stroke the cat's tummy; his purr loud and clear. Shinra's smile grew wider by the minute.

"Is that so? My, to bad you have work for the next two weeks…" In fact Shinra knew that Tom-san, Shizuo's boss, would be away for business the upcoming two weeks, resulting in the debt collector's bodyguard having a lot of free time on his hand.

"Ah, actually I'm free. Why?" It couldn't go any smoother. The underground doctor happily clapped his hands together pulling the purring cat out of its trance. The feline blinked its eyes realizing where he was and what he had done. At the moment he was really glad for being a cat, because of all the fur no one would see him blush. But wait. Wasn't being a cat what had brought him in this mess in the first place? Cursing over himself and the shame he brought upon him, he bit down on the protozoa's hand.

Holding the cat by its neck, Shizuo pulled his hand out of its mouth. "Judging from all the biting and the mood swings, the little one really is the flea's cat.", the blonde mentioned, making Izaya's eyes go wide. _'Mood swings?!_ ' Brushing aside the cat's protests he went on. "By the way, where is he? I totally forgot I came to end the louse." Shizuo said while patting said louse's head without knowing it. This earned him another bite from the cat, which again he just ignored.

"Ah, well…" Shinra began. "That's what I wanted to talk about with you, but…" The brunette pointed at the cat angrily gnawing away on the blonde's hand. "Doesn't it hurt?" he asked. Looking at the small fur ball on which his friend was pointing at, Shizuo just shrugged his shoulders. "Those are only love bites. They don't hurt." The black ears straightened themselves as the feline let go of the hand in favor of looking up at the male who said such nonsense. _'Love bites?! Are you fucking kidding me?'_

The ex-bartender looked down at the cat, smiling. Shinra couldn't help the laugh escaping him, as he was imagining what the informant said just now. Celty who was sitting next to Shizuo, watching silently while her friend and her fiancé talked, decided to move back onto the actual topic at hand, Izaya. Quickly tapping her message, she practically shoved her PDA in Shinra's face, who had to gently pull her hand away a few centimeters in order to read what she wanted to say, even though he already knew what she wanted to express.

"You see, Shizuo; we have a little problem on our hand." Shinra began, his mind already working in advance of what he was going to say. "The little fellow on your lap was a stray Izaya had found just yesterday. The poor guy was all hungry and in a weakened state." Just to add some drama on his story, the glasses wearing man grabbed the lab coat over his heart, letting his eyes glistened with fake tears. If Celty had a face, one would see how amazed she was at her boyfriend's acting ability.

"He brought the kitten to me, begging on his knees to save this poor soul." Ignoring the protesting hiss of a cat turned Izaya and Celty who face palmed the smoke coming out of her neck, he continued his story telling.

"After you and Izaya, had so rudely interrupted the date with my beloved, we decided to have some sweet time alone at home. But you see the little fellow doesn't really like me, so…" Pointing his finger at the cat, Izaya hissed and tried slashing at him again, making Shizuo giggle at the sight. "So I decided it would be best to have Izaya take the little guy home, but you know… While fighting, you two are always exaggerating. There simply had to be some serious injuries at some point." The doctor shook his head with a deep sigh.

 _'Cease the bullshit, Shinra! If it wasn't for Celty's shadows holding me down Shizu-chan wouldn't have managed to hit me in the first place!'_ Izaya hissed and meowed angrily at his spectacled friend. Shizuo gently patted the cat's head a frown adoring his features. "What do you mean by serious injuries and where the hell is the flea?" he asked. Shinra stood up, telling Shizuo with a slight move of his head to follow him. The taller male obeyed, but before that, he hoisted the small kitten up to his chest, just above his heart, holding it tight in a soft grip.

Shinra led Shizuo into the room were Izaya's unconscious body lay. Upon seeing the flea lying still on the bed, hooked up to a heart monitor, he immediately walked up to him. Shinra followed him. "He's got a few bruises and a concussion, which why he his in some sort of coma right now. I bet he'll wake up in a week or two."

"A coma? Damn! I didn't mean to…" Not finishing his sentence the ex-bartender sat the cat he was holding up until now, down on the bed. The once informant, now cat, looked up at the taller man.

 _'Oh, please. Don't make a face as if you care! We all now you rather want me dead. Besides I'm not in a coma, well, my body is… Argh! Damn, Shinra! Just turn me back!'_ the black cat hissed angrily at the two men in front of him. Thinking the cat was just trying to protect its master from the wild beast that hurt him, Shizuo reached out to pat its head. "Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt him." A sad smile played on his lips. "I never really wanted to." he just barley whispered. Still, thanks to Izaya's now enhanced hearing he heard the blonde's last sentence, wondering what he meant.

"Well, since Izaya's not able to care for his kitten, I thought, maybe you could take care of the little guy." Shinra suggested now, making both the man and the animal turn to him.

 _'WHAT?! Are you stupid?! He's going to kill me!'_ Izaya protested even though no one would understand him. The doctor walked over to him, grabbing the cat by its neck, hoisting it up. As Izaya struggled to break free from the doctor's grip, he saw the man leaning in to whisper something to him. "That's your chance to learn one or two secrets about Shizuo." All the struggling seized. He was right. Shinra, was absolutely right. When would Izaya get another chance like that? A chance to study his archenemy up close. He would be able to see sides of the brute; he would never ever show in front of the informant. Maybe, he could even find his weak spot. As Izaya looked at the blonde male, seemingly lost in his thought, he couldn't help but put on a sinister grin… Well, at least as sinister as possible for a cat; a cute little one at that.

"Alright." the blond said reaching out to take the black kitten from the underground doctor's hand. "I'm taking you home with me." he told the kitten, making it purr loud and clear. Oh, if Shizuo only had known what that purring really meant.

 **-o-o-o-o-**


	4. Chapter 4 - Being a cat is not easy

**Chapter 4 – Being a cat is not easy**

Never in his life, had Izaya Orihara felt so humiliated. As he lay slumped on Shinra's couch, not caring about what the underground doctor so happily talked about, Izaya thought back on this horrible torture he had to endure earlier.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

After Shizuo, agreed on taking care of his mortal enemy, even though he wasn't aware of that little fact, the underground doctor showed his true face. Just as Izaya was thinking of all the black mailing he could do with the blonde in the future, he was yanked out of his grip and pressed down on a cold examination table. Not knowing of what was happening; the doctor groped him on the neck and inserted a needle in there. Yelping the informant wanted to run away, but couldn't because now Celty had to interfere wrapping her shadows around his feline body.

"What are you doing?" the ex-bartender asked his doctor friend who grinned quite sadistically. "Oh, don't worry. I just remembered that I have to give our little friend his shots. RCP, Leucogen and something to prevent the rabies, since he seems to be so fond of biting." he answered while preparing the second shot.

"I once took Dokusonmaru to his vet, and he told me it's too strenuous on the cat to receive all that on one day." Shizuo interfered, worrying for the cat, but Shinra just waved him off, telling him he knew what he was doing.

After having to endure three shots, the brunette's cruelty didn't end with just that. Again Izaya's head was pulled up so Shinra could give him some pink colored nose drops. Sniffling and sneezing he tried to get rid of whatever substance the doctor gave him but to no avail.

"And what was that?" Shizuo asked feeling some pity for the poor little cat. "Just some FIP; to prevent feline corona virus." Thoughtfully Shinra stared at the cat. _'W-what?!'_ The informant tried to ask fearing the grin that slowly grew even wider on the doctor's face. "I think I should castrate him."

"NO!" _'NO!'_ Shizuo shouted while at the same time Izaya meowed in protest. Surprised Shinra and Celty looked over to the blonde man. Even Izaya was surprised by the other's outburst. "The cat is too young to be castrated now. You should wait until he's at least half a year old and if he hasn't reached sexual maturity till then you have to wait until he has." the blonde man lectured his childhood friend. Izaya blinked several times not believing that Shizuo saved his manliness just now, while Shinra clapped his hands. "Wow! Shizuo, you really know a lot about cats." the bespectacled awed. The blonde shyly scratched his neck. "Ah… well, I told you I often care for my brother's cat.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

The memories of almost losing his manly hood made Izaya shiver again. Curling up into a ball didn't help much on easing his trembling body, but as he felt a warm hand touching him he could feel himself starting to relax. Groggily he lifted his head to look at the blond mop the hand stroking him belonged to. _'I'm sorry, Shizu-chan. I'm never ever gonna call you a monster again. You saved the Orihara name from facing extinction.'_ he meowed leaning in the gentle touch. This little show of affection made Shizuo smile down at the cat. He couldn't help but suddenly imagine the flea curled up leaning in to his touch. The thought made him freeze. "What the…" he mumbled gaining Celty's and Shinra's attention. "What's up, Shizuo?" The doctor asked his wide grin still plastered on his face. The blonde shook his head, trying to chase away the heat that involuntary crept up on his cheeks. "Nothing." he said. "Besides… If I'm watching the flea's cat I should know its name. I can't just call it cat. It has to get used to a name." The brunette took his glasses off, cleaning them with his lab coat. "He doesn't have a name. Izaya said he would think of a good one but… Well, He's a bit sleepy right now, so I don't know what he has in mind." The black cat hissed, probably cursing the underground doctor. [It's a male, why not call him Izaya?] The Dullahan suggested earning a hiss for herself. _'Why not telling him it's me, so he can kill me at once! Forget I even considered raising your loans.'_

"How about Flea?" The Dullahan's fiancé asked holding up his glasses looking at them in search of any spots he had missed. _'How about I'll rip you to shreds?'_ The cat suggested while showing off his claws. "That name's already taken by a louse." If he had his beloved pocket knife, it would already stick out right between the protozoa's eyes. Mocha met crimson as the taller male stared at the black kitten. "Hmmm… I think Kuro would be a good name."

 _'Kuro? Kuro?! How original to name a black cat Kuro. Where does your brain gain its brilliance?'_ Izaya rolled his eyes. While Shinra had to hold back his laughter, Celty didn't even made an attempt on holding back. Why should she? She doesn't even have a head so why fear showing emotions when almost none is able to read her?

 **-o-o-o-o-**

It didn't take long for Izaya to succumb to his exhaustion. After all, he had a really rough day. So when he opened his eyes again he immediately noticed the unfamiliar territory. It seemed that Shizuo finally brought him home while he was asleep. Firstly yawning and stretching his body he took a quick look around the room he was in. By now he was lounging on a cushion in a living room that also housed a kitchen. The cooking area and the living room were separated by a counter, there where two doorways leading out of the room. As Izaya leapt off the cushion he made careful steps towards the one near him, which seemed to lead to the entrance area. Turning around, walking towards the doorway on the opposite side of the room he could hear the soft sound of water raining down from that direction. Probably the protozoan showering, the cat mused reaching the hallway. Even though there was no light here, the light shining from the living area was more than enough for Izaya's cat eyes. Walking by a door from which he could hear the sound of running water he could see a placket with the word "bath" written on the door way up high, so that the ex-human had to strain his neck in order to catch a glimpse of it. Passing by there was another door, probably the bedroom but due to the door being closed he couldn't waltz in. With nothing more to do, Izaya decided to walk back to the living room, waiting for Shizuo to finish his shower. He was glad to finally get the hang of how to move in this body. As one who mastered the skills of parkour, all that tumbling and stumbling took a huge toll on his pride.

Walking over to the couch, Izaya tried to jump on top of the furniture, but failed miserably, so he clawed his way on top of the back rest, getting a better view on everything. Looking around the living room he hated to admit it, but the protozoan had quite a nice apartment. It was in no way comparable with his pent house in Shinjuku, but for normal standards it was a nice and clean kept place for a single and nothing like the rotten rundown place Izaya always imagined his enemy to live in. Another thing he was glad about, because it would make his own stay here more comfortable.

"Ah! You're awake, Kuro." A cheerful voice spoke, frightening the cat in the process. Izaya was so lost in thoughts that he hadn't heard Shizuo emerge from the bathroom, but what also made him jump was that unfamiliar tone his nemesis spoke with.

Turning his head towards the blond male, who was standing at the door frame drying his hair with a towel, Izaya swore, if his body wasn't clad in fur, his blush would have the darkest shade of red one would have yet to see on the informant's face. Besides the towel on his hair, there was just one towel, loosely wrapped around the blonde male's hips, barely covering something. Sure, Shizuo's single and living alone, but doesn't that brute have any sense of decency? For Izaya it was like a car accident would be for one of his beloved humans. Where a normal human wouldn't want to look at, but couldn't take his eyes from.

For a man who always hurls vending machines, street signs, cars or other things not meant for throwing usage, his body was rather thin and smooth instead of being all muscles. With a body like that it should be a sin to not have a woman on each finger. Not registering that Shizuo slowly cuts the distance between them, Izaya watched a single drop of water dripping from the golden locks onto that broad chest, slowly wandering downwards over those delicious looking abdominal muscles moving while the man's body is moving towards him, at last seeping into the towel that hung around those hips, which by now were right in front of him. Unconsciously liking his mouth he suddenly realized what he was doing. _'THE HELL?! I… I was checking out that dumb brute?! W-WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?!'_

Two hands lifted him up to look at the blonde's face. "I bet you're hungry." Shizuo said smiling softly at the black cat in front of him. Lovingly he nuzzled his nose into the kitten's fur, before kissing it softly on the head and placing it on his naked chest. The blush Izaya felt earlier was nothing against the heat that was now tingling through his skin. With Kuro/Izaya, the blonde turned on his heels and started off towards the hallway he just came a few minutes ago.

 _'W-Wait! Where are you going? The kitchen is the other way around.'_ Izaya protested in a shaking fit of mewls. Giggling Shizuo began scratching behind one of the cat's ears. "Just wait a bit. I'm going to get dressed and then we can have dinner. Sounds good, right?" _'Couldn't you just get dressed BEFORE you showed off that stupid body of yours in front of me?! Besides, why do you have to take me with you if you just fucking get dressed?!'_ Izaya could panic and protest all he wanted, all Shizuo could hear and see was a cute little Kuro.

 **-o-o-o-o-**


	5. Chapter 5 – Some things he never guessed

**Chapter 5 – Some things he never guessed**

Arriving in his bedroom, Shizuo laid little Kuro, former information broker and god, down on his bed, petting the little kitten on the head before approaching his wardrobe. ' _Don't you dare get nake…'_ Izaya couldn't finish his complain. All words went lost after him witnessing the blonde discarding the towel on the floor that was wrapped around his hips just mere seconds ago. His mind went blank. There the brute was standing in nothing but his birth suit. Luckily he had only his back turned to him, for now.

"Why the sudden silence, Kuro?" Shizuo asked the cat turning around showing off all his naked glory. A single word coursed through Izaya's head. _'Monster.'_ "Kuro?" the blonde called tilting his head while watching the black bundle sitting on his bed with curious eyes.

Hearing his new and by the way not so loved name, Izaya snapped out of his thought raising his glance from lower regions up to meet the mans eyes. "You okay, little one?" Shizuo asked him. Izaya stiffened. _'It's nothing!'_ he said, dismissing the fact that Shizuo wouldn't even understand him and turning his back towards the man. Fixing his gaze on the soft fabric beneath his paws, the former god unconsciously began kneading it, earning a soft smile from Shizuo before he began rummaging through his clothes.

 _'Damn it.'_ Izaya began pouting. It was something he would never admit but he always were the tiniest bit jealous of Shizuo's tall built. And know that he had seen "all" of him, he couldn't help it. After all, his nemesis seemed to be even superior in another region, which really frustrated him at the moment. ' _That's nothing I can black mail him with.'_ he mumbled not noticing the blonde being all dressed up in his sweat pants and T-shirt, standing right beside him. Big hands lifted him up again, brining him up to that by now familiar warm chest. This time only to be dragged into the kitchen area, where he cursed/thanked a god he didn't even believed in.

Cursing for the fact, that as a cat, Shizuo would give him some food, neither human nor the god Izaya himself once was, in his right mind would eat, but thankful for the reason that said cat food was one of Dokusonmaru's food cans. As the famous cat loving actor, which Yuhei Hanejima, alias Kasuka Heiwajima, in fact definitely is, one could bet that his cat would only get the best canned food there was and luckily for Izaya, that actor's big brother was a well prepared part-time-cat-sitter. And so Kuro, once known as Izaya Orihara was able to enjoy a delicious smelling and tasty, but sadly cold meal. At least one thing he could life with while being a cat.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

After watching the black cat hungrily devouring the food given to him, Shizuo opened his fridge to get his own dinner, which only consisted in a bottle of milk. Somehow the blonde male wasn't feeling all that hungry. Closing the fridge again he looked down at Kuro, who licked his mouth in a satisfied manor. "Want some?" he asked the cat while holding the bottle up, swaying it a bit, to show Kuro its white content. The cat's crimson coloured eyes stared right into his, making Shizuo think of a certain person again. It was quite a coincidence that Izaya's cat would have the same rusty brown eyes that seemed to glimmer red when the light falls at the right angle. It was a quality that always captured the blonde's attention.

With a loud huff Kuro stood up from his sitting position he turned his back to Shizuo, walking away from him. By then the blond couldn't help a small laugh escaping his mouth. Another thing that remembered him of the flea. Because for in their high school days when Shizuo drank his milk, Izaya would always make a disgusted face saying things like: "How could anyone even drink some white juice that's secreted from a cow?"

Involuntary smiling at this memory and thinking over the similarities between the cat and its master, without realizing those two are in fact one and the same, Shizuo walked over to his couch. There Kuro was already attempting to jump on top of said piece of furniture. This time the cat succeeded in his try, even though he was half hanging over the edge. "Be careful Kuro. You're still a little klutz." the blond said while helping him up on the couch. Hissing the feline turned his attention towards the taller man. _'Who are you calling a klutz you stupid protozoan?!'_ Laughing at this display of anger the blonde flopped down on the couch, making Izaya lose his balance, resulting for him in falling against Shizuo's leg. Before he could get up again there was a big warm hand on his back stroking him.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

By now, the feeling of the protozoa's hand was nothing Izaya wasn't unfamiliar with. Never would he admit it out loud, but while being stuck in the body of a cat… according to Shinra, more the shape of his soul, or whatever he should call this state he found himself in. The warm touch of the blonde's hand was quite southing to him. Almost like a lullaby softly singing him to sleep. It was like a natural law, he, in his current state couldn't go against. But why? Why, couldn't he go against said "law"? He is… well, was a god. So at least he should be able to fight against his animalistic instincts, right? So why could he feel his own heart racing and couldn't help but begin to purr just from the others touch? He even let the blond hoist him on his lap, so he could even feel this southing warmth underneath his small body. Said body even turned on his back, granting Shizuo's hand permission to stroke the in black fur clad belly, making him purr even louder than before.

"Flea." the soft mumble of this hateful nickname and the pause in the hands motion brought him back from getting lost by this alien feeling bubbling up inside him. Beginning to fear, that Shizu-chan finally had realized who the cat once was, he gazed up at the man who named him like that. Shizuo had a distant look on his face while staring into nothing. _'Strange.'_ the cat thought. Was the brute daydreaming of killing him? No, the look on his face wasn't the one of a man aiming to kill someone. It was the look of… Well, what exactly was THAT look of? For once Izaya couldn't read the expression on the others face, but thinking of, the brute never really was one to be predictable.

Shizuo let out a deep sigh, gaining a few meows from the cat on his lap. _'What's with the long face, Shizu-chan?'_ was what Izaya asked despised the fact Shizuo wouldn't understand him at all. Smiling down at the kitten the blonde's lips opened up to speak.

"You know, Kuro?" he began, one hand wandering towards the cat's ear scratching behind it. "Seeing how similar you are to Izaya, it makes me think I'm really going to miss that annoying bastard while he's sleeping his ass away." _'Wow! What a nice choice of words, but I can't say the same about you, 'cause I'm stuck with you until Shinra, or more likely Cetly gets me back inside my body. But don't worry. I'm going to find lots of good black mailing material on you. So after I'm back to be my lovely self again, you're going to regret ever missing me.'_ Kuro/Izaya answered the man while trying to grin. Shizuo couldn't help but giggle after hearing the string of soft noises leaving the cat's mouth. Tickling under Kuro's chin he spoke again. "You really are a chatty one, aren't you? Just like the flea." he smiled tenderly. Izaya grew even more confused. Why the hell would Shizu-chan smile like that while talking about Izaya? On top of that, while talking about him without mentioning the informant's slow and painful dead in the progress?

"Your fur is the same colour as his hair, heck even your eyes have the same ruby like gleam as his. Like two blood coloured gems that are piercing trough your soul." Izaya's skin under all this fur, for the millionth time that day gained a new dark shade of red. In his whole life he never blushed as much as on this day.

"You two are really talkative and moody, like, really moody. One moment the both of you are all cute and the next second you bite or slash out." Izaya huffed. _'Moody?! Says the one with the anger issues. And don't call a man cute. It's a disgrace for my pride.'_ The blonde really seems to be on a roll right now. "Sometimes I really don't get him." Shizuo began to frown.

"He always tells me he hates me and that I should drop dead, but why isn't he killing me? He knows that my heart and my brain are as vulnerable as with any other human, but he never aims at them. But then he's doing everything to make my life a living hell. Sending all those gangs after me, framing me or doing other shit like that." Shizuo let out a small laugh. "Everyone just fears me but he doesn't. He only hates me." Shizuo emitted a sad laugh that made Izaya frown.

"While everyone stays away from me, he is the only one walking towards me and before running away he's always making sure I chase after him. Even then he never goes out of my sight and always comes back to annoy me again. Showing that he isn't afraid of me, of my strength…. Afraid of the monster I am." With a sad look on his face, the blonde clenched his fist looking down at it.

What's going on? What brought this all on? For once in his life Izaya didn't knew the answer to his own questions. He never heard Shizuo talking in such a calm manner. After all, the blonde brute seems to have some kind of Izaya-radar. Always knowing when his nemesis was within a certain radius of him. But now while not being his godly self, the blonde was talking about him and a lot at that. It wasn't hateful or loathsome talking; it sounded kind of… fondly. Just like the hate, Shizuo always claimed to feel for Izaya, wasn't as great as on display.

 _'Nah, that can't be. I personally made his life miserable. The protozoan not hating me is just impossible.'_ Thinking that Izaya just laughed the matter off, but then he remembered those words Shinra whispered to him. "That's your chance to learn one or two secrets about Shizuo." Those were Shinra's words but… Was THAT one of those secrets his bespectacled friend mentioned?

Izaya wasn't able to ponder any longer on his thought, because Shizuo spoke up again.

"Just forget it, Kuro." he sighed. Izaya rolled over, standing up on all fours. _'Don't tell me to forget about it, you brute! What's the meaning of all this?'_ Izaya became frustrated. He wanted to know what had suddenly gotten into the brute, but hearing his own string of cat noises leaving his mouth, so said brute couldn't understand his demand, frustrated him even more.

 **-o-o-o-o-**


	6. Chapter 6 - Sniffing around

**Chapter 6 – Sniffing around**

In his apartment in Ikebukuro a certain underground doctor sat at his desk typing away on his laptop, probably working on his newest research, only looking up from the screen when his future wife-to-be entered the room. Sitting down on a chair not far away from her fiancé, she laid a hand on top of her own still closed laptop doing nothing. Being with Shinra she doesn't had to, because for him a single glance at her shadowlike smoke was enough to fully understand what she wanted to tell him.

"You want to know what I'm planning this time." Shinra stated while saving the progress of his work before closing the document. In the mean time Celty opened her laptop bringing it to life, soon after a message appeared on the screen of Shinra's laptop.

[I just did what you told me to do. I waited for them in that alley, capturing Izaya with my shadows but if I had known he would get hurt in the progress I wouldn't have done this.] Shinra smiled at the words coming from his beautiful and kind beloved. "Celty my dear, I always thought you don't like Izaya." he quoted. [Well, I don't, but he's your friend, so I'm not eager on killing him off] She thought of adding "too soon", but refrained from it. After all, that informant's death would just unnecessary sadden her lover. Another chuckle escaped him. He knew all to well what his beloved would be thinking about at the moment. It was endearing, just like everything she does. Leaning back in his chair, he closed his eyes. "There's a meaning behind my plan. It isn't only about revenge… Well, most of it is, but partly I also want to bring an end to something I initiated years ago." he told Celty cheerily, like they aren't having a serious conversation right now. He knew exactly what question will follow his words, so he already thought about the right answer. The soft "pling" following an incoming message made him open his eyes.

[What was it?]

Looking at the screen he smiled softly, before turning his gaze towards Celty. "Let me tell you about an idea that popped into my head before I entered high school." he began.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

After the brute's very confusing words, he decided to call it a night. Again, like so many times on that day, Shizuo brought the little cat up to his chest carrying Kuro to the farthest end in the hallway. There in a corner was a freshly filled litter box, where he sat him down in front of, pointing at it. "That's your toilet. Do your business here, okay?" Izaya, who against his will must go by the name Kuro, just starred at the thing the brute was showing him. Sure he knew it would come to this, he tried to mentally prepare for this. Well, TRIED. His day already was humiliating enough, so he needed time for this and he especially wanted to do it alone. Shizuo took the cat and sat it down in the box, waiting for Kuro to… well, do his business. The black cat starred up at him, Shizuo starred back. "What's up? Go ahead." he told the cat, forming a fist with his hand making a pawing motion on the sand, trying to get his point through to the kitten. Izaya huffed rolling his eyes. _'I know what this thing is for, you moronic idiot. Just go away! It's not like you want to be watched sitting on a toilet, right?!'_ His complain came out as a hissing fit, but still it seemed to get through that thick skull. "Alright, guess you want to be alone, huh?" Shizuo rose from the ground walking towards the bathroom to brush his teeth.

Izaya let out a sigh of relief. _'Okay, focus. Come on Izaya. This won't hurt your pride. THIS won't hurt your pride.'_ he told himself like a mantra.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

The closing of a door that echoed through the silent apartment woke him from his slumber. It wasn't such a loud noise, only the entrance door softly falling shut but for his enhanced hearing it was like someone had slammed the front door to a close. Opening his eyes he blinked a few times adjusting to the light. _'Huh? It's day?'_ Izaya thought before letting out a big yawn. In his curled up position he looked around. Right know, he was in the bedroom, lying on top of the bed. _'Ah, right.'_ he mumbled uncurling his body remembering what happened last night after another traumatic experience. He began to stretch his body like a cat… or better said, like the cat he actually was at the moment. Shizu-chan and he went to sleep together in this bed. Izaya hadn't complained at all for several reasons.

First, he would never even consider sleeping on a couch or worse, the floor.

Second, he always got cold easily, so while being a cat he could make some use of the blonde's unnatural body warmth.

And third, maybe he was lucky. Shizu-chan could be someone who talks in his sleep, so he could gain his material to black mail him that way. Sadly, the protozoa's body odour lacking the lingering smell of nicotine, thanks for him taking a shower earlier and the warmth his body emitted where soothing Izaya to sleep in record time.

So now after being awake again he realized the lack of a living furnace beside him. _'Shizu-chan must have left.'_ he yawned again. The morning sun, shining through the opened curtains by the window, warming his fur and the sheets below his paws felt wonderful. He let his body fall to the side relishing in the heat. He could feel himself beginning to get lost in this sensation, rolling around on his sunny spot like any other cat would do, he nuzzled his face in the sheets. _'Hmmm… Smells and feels just like Shizu-chan.'_ he purred. It took a while for him to realize what was going through his head just know. Wildly shaking his head he began to curse his cat-like instincts.

 _'Get a grip, Izaya. Remember what you're here for.'_ he reminded himself. So after calming down again he began to think of all the places where he would find something he could use against the brute in the future.

Carefully jumping off the bed, so he wouldn't face plant like at Shinra's abode, he made his way towards the wardrobe. Using his claws and teeth he managed to open it a bit. Pulling at the corner of a spare blanket, which laid there he made his way inside while shoving some contents out of his way so a few shirts and other clothing ended on the outside.

With nothing interesting to find here, he decided to leave the bedroom. Just walking around the living room the day before he couldn't find anything that caught his interest so he decide to look through the bookshelf. Near the ground were a few books about martial arts. There even was a book about anger management and a few other random books not related to martial arts. _'So the brute reads other genres too, or these books are just for decoration.'_ He had the time of his life sniffing around in Shizu-chan's belongings. On one of the upper shelves he saw some DVDs so he made himself ready to jump up, looking through them next. He made it, but soon after slipped up again. Trying to save himself from falling down to the floor, he clawed at the nearest object. Unfortunately, it were some of the DVDs he wanted to look at, pulling them down with him. Crashing to the floor, with three or four DVD cases falling on top of him, Izaya groaned, deciding there would be nothing of interest in the living room. So off to the kitchen area he was. Pulling the same trick he did with the wardrobe he tried to open the cupboards, succeeding with a few. Again he tried to climb inside one, but instead he caused an avalanche of pots and pans. The infernal noise torturing his ears he bit his teeth together waiting for the quiet to return. ' _Whoops. Guess I'm making a mess out of Shizu-chan's place.'_ he sang happily while planning his next move. Using one of the conveniently fallen pots, he jumped on top of a chair, then on top of the table. From here on he made his way to the counter, elegantly moving his figure between the things resting there… or not. Again he caused an accident, by bumping against a bag of flour that fell straight to the floor. The impact caused the bag to burst open scattering flour all over the place. Sneezing and coughing Izaya lost his footing falling down too, landing directly on the broken package another cloud of flour gathered in the air, before softly falling down like snow again. Trying to free his face from the white dust he rubbed his paw over his face it didn't do much now that he was white all over, but at least he got his nose free.

 _'I have enough. I'm going back to sleep again.'_ he huffed stumbling back towards the bedroom. Arriving in front of the bed, he realized there was one place he hadn't looked through, under the bed. _'Heh heh. Maybe he's hiding some porn magazines underneath. If I can't find the good stuff I will just use those to taunt him.'_ Tiredly snickering to himself he made his way beneath the bed. There was a small box with a lose enough lid so he could manage on lifting it up, but still there wasn't enough room for him between the edge of the box and the underside of the bed to catch a good glimpse of what was inside. So in the end he just decided to rest again. To tired and partly to shaken from the chaos outside and the image of the blonde embodiment of anger issues coming home to see said chaos, he found the idea of sleeping on the floor more likeable by now. Lucky for him he spotted some black fabric under the bed he could lay on. Stepping on it he recognized it as one of the brute's bartender vests. By the husky smell of nicotine and the slight fragrance of what smelled like Shizu-chan he guessed it was the vest he had worn yesterday. Well for now it would make a good place to rest. Curling up on the black clothing Izaya nuzzled his face into the fabric inhaling the smell it gave off. _'What a…'_ he yawned. _'…nice… smell…'_ He was fast asleep.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

* * *

A/N: To tell you the truth, my two lovely cats inspired me for this one. They really had outdone themeselves^^


	7. Chapter 7 - Going shopping

**Chapter 7 – Going shopping**

When Shizuo woke up the next morning after a good night's rest it was already half past nine. He already wanted to shot out of bed to gather his clothes for work, when he realized it wasn't necessary. He totally forgot that he was on vacation for the next two weeks and so his muscles relaxed again. Felling something hairy and warm snuggle up to his chest he cast a glance down to where a black kitten slept soundly. Smiling fondly at the little one he slowly began to stroke the cat behind its ears and soon Kuro began to purr in his sleep. His fingers wandered from behind the cat's ears to its chin. Kuro parted his mouth a bit letting two sharp white fangs to be seen. Softly Shizuo touched one fang, chuckling when Kuro started nibbling on his finger while sleeping.

"So cute." He cooed silently. Careful, as to not wake the small being he stood up walking over to his closet to get a comfy pair of white washed jeans and a black shirt. Sure he liked wearing the bartender clothes, Kasuka got him, but on days off he preferred clothes more suited to laze around. He was feeling hungry and so he decided on making himself something special for breakfast. Usually he only ate toast with butter and jam, since it was something quick to make, but since he had enough time on hand he felt more like having pancakes and orange juice.

Decision made he glanced to the little feline which in its sleep rolled on the spot he just had been resting. The cat snuggled its face into the sheets, making Shizuo coo again. He really turned into a lovesick fool, whenever he was alone with a cat.

Heading to his kitchen he left the bedroom door open so the cat could, once it woke up wander around. He already knew it would be difficult for him to part with the kitten once Izaya was up and better again, but deep down he hoped Kuro would give him a good excuse for visiting the informant's home and… Maybe it would give them a chance to overcome their "hatred", after all this feeling was only one-sided.

But then again, why should Izaya let the blond set foot inside his home. He wouldn't let a monster enter his domain. While a deep sigh left his lips he opened one of the cupboards to get out a pack of flour, placing it on the counter. Next would be milk and eggs, but as he opened his fridge he saw a bottle of milk, but no eggs. Right, after work ended yesterday he had planned on going shopping before heading home, but then he spotted the flea. After the whole thing that happened yesterday, he even ran out of cigarettes, so there was all the more need to go shopping.

Kuro was still asleep and he wouldn't be away for too long. Besides, what could happen to the well-behaved feline while he's gone? So he placed his purse in one of his jeans back pockets, took his phone and key and left the apartment. There was a konbini just two blocks away from the small apartment complex he lived.

It hadn't taken him all to long to gather all the things he needed, but as he walked over to the cash desk he spotted two familiar figures at the magazine stand. "Oi!" he called out as he walked over to them. The two girls, one with braided hair wearing a black sailor uniform while the other was clad in a gymnastic uniform, showed no reaction to Shizuo instead they just continued turning page after page of a magazine they held together. Their eyes lit up and then suddenly the girl in the sailor uniform, Mairu, got a pair of scissors out of nowhere. As she intended on cutting something out of the magazine they were reading Shizuo panicked and grabbed her wrist just in time.

"What are you two doing?! You can't just cut things out without paying for that first!" he scolded them, making them acknowledge his presence.

"Ah, Shizuo-san! Nice to meet you here. What are you doing? You don't wear your bartender clothes. Aren't you working today? Ah, by the way. Look! There's a Yuuhei Hanejima Special in here. Introduce us to your bro-Hmph! Hmhmm Hmph!"

Shizuo had let go of the girl's hand to place it over her mouth in hope it would shut her up, but instead she just continued moving her mouth in an attempt of speaking. "Could you just shut-up for a minute? Or at least to take a breath once in a while?" he asked Mairu, hesitating to remove his hand. As an answer the girl just licked his palm. "Ew, gross." He exclaimed after letting her go. Mairu started laughing. Whipping the salvia on his jeans he looked at Kururi. "Shouldn't you girls be in school?" he asked the calmer of the two who nodded. "Skip." she said curtly indicating that they were skipping classes. "You shouldn't do that and you should definitely buy that magazine before cutting something out, okay?" Kururi nodded at the blonde's words.

"Ne, ne Shizuo-san!" Mairu began. "Introduce us to Yuuhei and we will go to school. Deal? Deal?" Wonderful, now they tried to bargain with him, but luckily an idea popped into his head.

"Look, my brother is really busy at the moment; even I can't reach him now, so let's say I'll buy you that magazine and than you go to school. Deal?" The twins looked at each other a while before each nodding towards him. "For now we have a deal." The loud one said. Shizuo frowned at the "for now" part, but at least he had them where he wanted them… for now.

He took the magazine from their hands and walked over to the cash desk paying for everything. "By the way. Did you see Iza-nii? He should have called us yesterday evening but he hadn't. Shizuo handed them their now paid for magazine not exactly knowing what he should tell them, but then he decided to go with the truth.

"Whaaat?! Oh come on. You can't do that. At least not while we still have to go to school. Iza-nii has to pay for our daily needs." The louder of the twins complained, while the silent just nodded her head. They walked outside the shop and onto the streets. "Wait, you say the fucking flea pays for all that? Apartment, school, food, phones, everything?" That wasn't something he expected. Kururi nodded. "Don't tell." she said. "Yeah! Don't tell him we know. He thinks we still believe that our parents transfer the money on our bank account the end of each month." Mairu added.

"Why don't they?" the blond wondered aloud. They where their parents, shouldn't it be the parents' responsibility to take care of their childrens needs? "They are to busy working over seas and since it was Iza-nii who raised us in the first place he made a deal with them to pay our expenses. Well, he does earn more then the two of them together anyway. And since grandma and grandpa live in Kyoto, he's the only family we got here. So it would be a bit of a disadvantage to lose him, you understand?" He shook his head. "Nope. I don't really get if you like him or not."

"Classified." Kururi spoke up earning an enthusiastic nod from her younger twin sister. "Yeah, that's classified info you want to know. So I can only say that if he does get killed one of these days we'll make sure to cry a little." "Before laughing." The silent twin added to her little twin sister's words. Shizuo had to frown at that. "I still don't get if you like him now or not." "Why should it interest you? After all you 'hate' him, right?" the braided girl smirked while emphasizing the word "hate". One could clearly see the resemblance to her big brother. Before Ikebukuro's fortissimo could answer that question the loud one spoke up again.

"Anyway, thanks for the magazine. We're heading to school now. Bye-bye!" she shouted while dragging her sister behind who just waved at him saying "Thanks" and "Bye" before disappearing around the corner.

Like every conversation with the Orihara twins it left Shizuo with a headache which only urged on his craving for a smoke. Shaking his head, he turned on his heals, lazily walking back home while submitting to his unhealthy urge.

Reaching his apartment he decided to first put away the groceries and then look if Kuro was already awake, before going back to prepare his breakfast. What he didn't expect was when he entered his living room he spotted some of his DVDs laying on the floor. Definitely not where he had placed them. As he attempted to bend down he spotted something in the corner of his eyes. Something white.

Turning his head towards the kitchen area, the DVD case he just picked up clattered back down. Shook filled his eyes as he stood up, ignoring the cases lying on the floor in favour of walking towards the kitchen, or rather said what it used to be. There was a soft layer of white everywhere; some of it was even distributed in the living area, since it shared the same room as his kitchen. On closer look he recognised the burst open and empty pack of flour he had placed on the counter earlier, now lying on the floor. The flour wasn't the only thing painting his kitchen floor in a new colour. There were also some pans and pots distributed, dusted over by the white powder. After a closer examination of the empty flour pack, he recognised small paw prints leading away from it. So Kuro was awake. He mused before standing up from his crouching position making himself ready to shout his nemesis name from the top of his lungs, when he stopped himself. Blinking his eyes he wondered about what he just planned on doing. Sure stirring up some trouble definitely was something Izaya would do, but it wasn't like he was able to at the moment. After all Shinra told him it would take two weeks for Izaya to wake up from coma.

He could feel a lump form in his throat. Damn it. He knew he had it bad for the flea, but never would he have guessed to miss him that much already after such a short period of time.

Sighing, he quickly put everything away that should go into the fridge, while partly being glad that he had bought spare flour earlier, so he wouldn't have to give up on pancakes. All the cooling goods placed where they belong, he started following the cat's footprints which lead him right into his bedroom. There another surprise waited for him. The doors of his wardrobe were open, his spare blanket and a few of his clothes lying outside. Seems like he underestimated the lil' one. Back to the footprints of this chaos culprit, they leaded under his bed. Going on all fours and with his phone to shine some light under his bed, he saw the prints leading towards his treasure box. Pulling it out he saw that the lid was loose. Pulling away the lid he took a look at the photos lying inside. They where photos of his family, his few friends, and his most treasured one lying on top of them all.

He took that photo in the summer of his last high school year. He wanted to be alone and wandered off towards the shed by the practice fields on the school grounds. Behind the shed was a nice resting place, but someone beat him to it. When he reached his destination Izaya was already there. Curled up in the shade of the tree where a few slivers of light which shone through the leaves danced on his porcelain white skin. He looked mesmerizing and so he just pulled out his phone and snapped a shot. Seeing how soundly the flea slept he even dared to sit down beside him admiring the black haired beauty for the remainder of lunch break.

Izaya never knew about that. He made sure to leave once he recognized he was about to wake up. Afterwards he had Kasuka help him transfer the photo on his computer so he could print it out. Every now and then he would look at it. Thinking back on those days, he still had hope. Those days were Izaya's hatred towards him wasn't as prominent as it was now.

Sighing he placed the photo back into the box, placing the lid back up. Seems like Kuro wanted to take a glimpse into it too. Well, he knew that cat's like boxes. It was his brother's cat with the freaking long name shortened to Dokusonmaru, which for a nickname was quiet long on its own, who first tried sneaking into his treasure box. Why is the reason he put it under his bed in the first place. But where was Kuro? Again looking under his bed he followed the footprints towards a black pile of clothe, that sported something white on it. Grabbing the black clothe, the bartender vest he wore yesterday, he pulled it out from under the bed. There he was. Curled up and peacefully sleeping with his white coloured fur. He should be angry, mad, whatever… but he just couldn't bring himself too. First, he liked cats to much as too snap at them and second, he was already far too found of Kuro to be angry with him.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

* * *

A/N: I know how you feel, Shizu-chan. Just wait until you have to clean up the mess. And for all of you who wondered if my two lovely cats made a mess out of my home... Yes, they did. One who never had a cat, wouldn't believe what they are all capable of, but I love them.


	8. Chapter 8 - Uneasy

**Chapter 8 – Uneasy**

As his dream slowly faded to a conscious state, he could feel something warm brush through his fur. It felt really good. It gave him a sense of protection and as the warmth continued to softly caress him, he could feel himself relax and drift back to a sleepy-state again.

Suddenly a loud ringing pulled him out of his drowsiness. His eyes shot open before his head whipped up, searching for the obnoxious sound. The warmth he had already forgotten at this point disappeared, followed by a silently mumbled curse. Turning his head around he spotted a blond man picking up the device that still tortured his enhanced hearing. Honey coloured eyes noticed his attention before apologetic looking down at him.

"Yo, Kasuka." the blonde man greeted as he picked up the ringing phone, finally stopping the cheery melody that still echoed in his ears.

 _'Kasuka?'_ he tilted his head thinking hard on the name he had heard somewhere before. A yawn broke trough his mouth making it open wide so his fangs shone dangerously as the light hit them. _'Right'_ He stretched himself. _'I'm at Shizu-chan's place.'_ He brought his right paw towards his face trying to rub the sleep away.

 _'Must've been really tired to actually be that out of it.'_ he thought as he licked over his paw before bringing it back towards his face to clean himself. As he became too absorbed in the task of straightening out his fur, he completely forgot on listening in to the conversation the ex-bartender was having with his little brother. Rolling on his back he began spreading his legs, showing of his lower regions as he was about to clean himself there as well. His tongue was already sticking out of his mouth when he stopped leaning down. His eyes wide open. _'What the… SERIOUSLY?!'_ he screamed as only a shocked sounding mewl escaped his throat. _'What the hell is wrong with me?!'_ Even his shout came out as a meow.

"Yeah, seems like Kuro's hungry. Gotta go feed him before he makes even more of a mess." his ears picked up. Shizuo's hand placed itself on the black kitten's head patting him. Again his instincts kicked in making him lean in towards the welcomed warmth spreading from the top of his head through his whole buddy.

"See you later." the blonde ended the phone call as all his attention shifted back towards the purring mess that was now rolling around on the sweaty bartender vest he wore yesterday as he chased the Flea through town.

On thinking of Izaya again the smile on his face turned to look sad as the edges of his mouth and his eyes dropped slightly. His hand stopped its movement, but the dark feline was still purring and rolling around in the nest it made out of Shizuo's clothes. Doing this the rest of the flour that Shizuo hadn't already brushed out of Kuro's fur came off, while the cat's face buried itself inside the fabric sniffing loudly and inhaling through the slightly opened mouth.

 _'This smells so good. What is this?'_ Kuro asked his voice shaking from the rumbling in his throat.

Shizuo couldn't help but smirk at this sight. "Oh yeah. Totally forgot that some cats get really attached to its owner's sweaty smell." he mumbled weaving a hand through his bleached locks. "Not good, Kuro." he said while carefully lifting up the cat. "You shouldn't get attached to my smell. It's the flea's smell you should attach yourself to." Shizuo brought the dazzled cat towards him and placed a soft kiss on top of the cat's dark, fluffy head. "Just like me." he added inside his head blushing lightly.

As he sat Kuro down on his lap, he looked the cat deeply in the eyes. Bringing his hand up to softly stroke those in fur clad cheeks, Kuro instantly began to run his rough tongue over his fingers.

"Ha ha! Stop it, that tickles." The fortissimo laughed. "Seems like you opened up to me over night." A deep sigh followed. "If only Izaya would open up to me like that."

The cat froze in its movements, studying the blushing blonde in shock.

What shocked him weren't the ex-bartender's words, but what hearing his own, his real name coming from the blonde's lips triggered inside him.

Realisation.

 _'W…What am I doing here?'_ he thought back on his earlier actions. What happened? He didn't understand anymore. Why was he showering his arch enemy with loving affections only mere seconds ago? It was like a switch had been flipped inside him, letting him forget who he really was, who he should be, making him lose control over his own body. It scared him. This wasn't something he could simply blame on a cat's instincts anymore.

 _'What's happening to me?'_

 **-o-o-o-o-**

Gripping at his bleached locks in frustration the blonde man let out a long sigh, before letting his fingers relax against his skull. He knew he couldn't keep it in any longer. For too long he had sealed his own feelings deep inside his heart, never telling another soul his deepest, darkest secret. Kasuka was the only one who knew about his feelings for the black haired informant and Shizuo could trust his little brother's secrecy. But after his earlier talk with the Orihara twins, a light fear of them knowing how he truly felt, settled inside his chest. Was it truly that obvious?

At first he had thought it'd be easy to hide, but with each moment passing by it became harder and harder. Every time he saw or even smelt the raven haired man he could feel his determination crumble a bit more. His yearning was only bearable until Izaya fell into a coma, he himself had caused. Since then his feelings are imminent on overflowing from their confinement. He was addicted to him, even more than towards his cigarettes.

Not noticing the still frozen cat in his lap he let out another sigh.

"Damn. I always thought I was straight, but then I had to meet that fucking Flea and fall in love with him." he finally spoke out loud. The by-now-again black cat's head shot up to face him. Ruby-like eyes locked with Shizuo's amber coloured ones. Again he began to stroke the feline's soft fur, while his gaze wandered towards the ceiling.

"What do you think, Kuro?" the blonde asked. "Should I confess to your master once he's up again?"

"N-Nyah!" came the shaky but loud reply from the small kitten seated on his lap. He smiled. "I'm sorry, Kuro. You're hungry, right? Wait, I'll get you something right away." saying that Shizuo placed Kuro down and rose from his seated position.

He couldn't become all depressed over the flea now. There was Kuro to care for and a mess to clean after. He could think about confessing later.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

Izaya wasn't amused, not in the least. And the reason for that were the brute's unexpected visitors. Well, they wouldn't have been that unexpected if he just had listened to Shizuo's side of the conversation the man had this morning. After all, he remembered the youngest of the Heiwajima family being the one who had called. Still…

Why of all days possible, had the famous actor choose today to visit his older brother? It was the last thing he had needed at the moment. Not while being so worried about loosing himself over some mere instincts and especially not while he still needed time for coming to terms with what the protozoan had told him earlier. Even though it wasn't his intention, the blonde male had confessed to him. Heiwajima Shizuo, the man he had declared to be his enemy ages ago, IS in love with him, Orihara Izaya.

He should have been disgusted or maybe even happy that now he finally had something to use against the bane of his existence. But strangely enough, he wasn't. More than anything he was confused. Confused on why the brute, on why Shizu-chan would love him of all people. The man he hated more than anything and even threatened to kill times and times again. Why? What was Shizu-chan's reason for falling in love with him? When all Izaya did was taunt and play with him non stop. Fighting the man he thought to be a monster, only for him to feel alive.

 _'With his good looks and that amazingly well toned body of his, he could successfully court every lady in 'Bukuro.'_ Izaya desperately shook his head. He couldn't believe what he was thinking just now. Sure he had to admit it. Even thought they were enemies, Shizu-chan had, to some extend, his very own… sex-appeal. _'What are you doing to me, Shizu-chan?'_ he thought while looking towards the blonde who just closed the door after letting his little brother in.

 _'Why do you love me?'_ Izaya mumbled gaze falling to the floor beneath his paws. _'It couldn't be because I'm not afraid of you.'_

No, that would just be unreasonable, but then again… This single celled fake blond always were the only one, he never knew how to handle.

He made him feel uncomfortable. Yes, that was the best how he should describe the way the bodyguard made him feel. Sure he feels the excitement bubbling up within him every single time this baritone voice shouting his name and that feeling of life rushing through his veins during their fights. But other than that he just feels incredible uncomfortable. Like there's a lump stuck in his throat whenever the beast is near him, or that heavy feeling lingering on his chest.

 _'This unpredictability of yours is exactly why I hate you so much, Shizu-chan.'_ he mumbled more to himself while looking up. His eyes widened immediately. The youngest Heiwajima was crouching in front of him.

"So this is Orihara-san's cat?" Kasuka asked with his typical face that lacked any emotion. He raised a hand to pat the black kitten, but Izaya backed away from the touch not trusting his body to keep his self-control.

"Careful, he's still a little shy towards strangers." the older Heiwajima warned his little brother.

 _'Let me out!'_ Kuro/Izaya's ears pointed upwards. That wasn't him meowing. Only now noticing the white pet-transport-box standing beside the still crouching actor on the floor, his eyes locked with that of another cat.

"Look, Kuro." the brunette male began bringing the box closer towards him. "I brought you a playmate. His name's Yuigadokusonmaru. Be nice to each other." That said the box was opened and a red furred cat stepped outside.

 **-o-o-o-o-**


	9. Chapter 9 - Hierarchy

**Chapter 9 – Hierarchy**

As an informant, Izaya had known that Yuuhei Hanejima, known only by a handful of people as Heiwajima Shizuo's little brother, owns a cat. It wasn't even a secret, since pictures of the red fur ball were all over the actor's blog. Yuigadokusonmaru. While the older one of the Heiwajima brothers wasn't all that imaginative in thinking up a name for a cat, like naming a black cat simply "Kuro", the younger brother was a little bit too creative. How he even came up with the idea to give his cat a name that means "self justice" was a riddle for the informant of Shinjuku, one that he wasn't interested on solving. Especially not since the actor with his lack of emotions simply wasn't as interesting as any of his beloved humans and all their facets.

But still, for him it was important to know everything of every one residing on his turf. So when he first heard the other cat's mewling noise and noticed the transport box next to the man that crouched before him, he knew whom he'll soon meet personally for the first time. A red, or in his opinion more ochre furred young cat with yellow eyes.

What he hadn't counted in was the cat being way bigger than him, although he should have. After all, thanks to his only friend's beloved fiancée he was now stuck in the body of a little kitten, so it was actually no wonder.

As Yuigadokusonmaru stood before him, looking down on the great now cat turned Orihara Izaya, the former informant could feel a strange shudder running up his spine. Maybe it was only his cat instinct kicking in again, but he didn't like the presence of another cat, what brought him to arch his back and raise every hair on his body at the sight of the intruder.

Brown half closed eyes, a pair of wary amber coloured ones and curious yellow eyes were all trained on him.

 _'I warn you…'_ he began hissing towards the other feline. Although he wasn't able to continue on with his threat, since the cobby struck down his right paw on the black kitten's head. Surprised by the sudden speed the lazy looking cat demonstrated, Izaya had to blink his eyes. _'This is my territory, Newbie. Show some respect.'_ he was warned by the other.

"Wow, I never saw Dokusonmaru like that." the blonde said as he stretched his hand towards the black fuzzy fur ball, but was stopped by his little brother. "He won't hurt him." he told Shizuo. "He's only showing him who's higher up in ranking."

As Izaya listened to Kasuka's explanation he huffed deeply. _'Higher up?! I'm-'_ Another stroke on the head shut him up. _'Would you stop that?!'_ he asked his attacker while irritation seeped into his voice.

 _'Be quiet, Newbie.'_ Dokusonmaru told him. _'Stop calling me Newbie. I have a name.'_ Izaya glared daggers at the cat who already hit him twice.

"Kuro, stop being so hostile." the bodyguard interrupted as he saw the kitten's back arch again, but got ignored by him. ' _So your name is Kuro.'_ the cobby mused. _'No, my name is-' 'I'm Yuigadokusonmaru, but you can call me Dokusonmaru like my Kasuka does.'_ Izaya got interrupted again. He blinked at that.

 _'That's way too long. I'll just call you Maru.'_ he said earning himself a glare. _'I'll make an exception since you're still a child and allow you to call me Maru-san instead.'_

That definitely was interesting. Izaya never would have expected that even cats would use honorifics.

 _'Maru-chan?'_ he tried again whereupon the other raised his paw again. _'Okay, I got it. Maru-san it is.'_ he reconciled not liking the idea of being hit again. Good thing Shinra wasn't here or else the underground doctor would never let him life this humiliation down again.

 _'I'll make this four-eyes pay for this.'_ he silently grumbled to himself while "Maru-san" rubbed his cheek against him. _'Now you're my underling, Kuro.'_ he purred satisfied.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

With awe Shizuo followed the two cats interacting with each other. It hadn't taken the always up for some mischief, Dokusonmaru long to tame the hostile and seemingly prideful kitten. Sure, Kuro didn't seem amused by this, but as the one who's smaller and also weaker he had to obey. That's the way it worked in cats society, or so Kasuka explained to him.

Happy that Kuro had found a friend to could play with, he guided his little brother inside the living room, while he made his way into the kitchen to get them something to drink. Since both brothers liked dairy products he choose to get each a pack of fruit milk, which were reserved for the times Kasuka came to visit him. This time it was strawberry for them both and a bowl of normal milk for Dokusonmaru.

Remembering last night's clear distaste, Kuro had shown towards the white liquid, he wasn't surprised by the snorting noise the black cat made at the sight of it.

"So, big brother." the brown haired male broke the silence as Shizuo approached him again. He had settled down on the floor between the couch table and the couch, today's game already set up on the table, while the bleached blonde man was away to get their refreshments. It was the usual routine for those two. Whenever he had his little brother over for a visit, they would play a board or card game while talking about everything that came to mind. This time the game was scrabble. Shizuo sat down on the opposite site, his back towards the TV. "I didn't really get your short explanation of what happened to Orihara-san over the phone. Care to tell me in detail?" the brunette asked while looking over the letters in front of him, thinking about what word he could write with them.

Gazing at his little brother's blank stare, whose acting skill was so full and vivid with emotion unlike his usual self made him sigh. So he told him about the chase they had yesterday, how they ruined Shinra's long planed picnic with the headless rider and how through some unforeseen circumstances he had hit the flea on the head, with a lamppost none the less. Explaining why exactly the raven haired man now was in a coma so had to care for his cat.

All the while he told his tale, they continued their game. Each writing a new word or passing if they lacked the required letters to do so. Kuro had seated himself comfortable on his lap, stretching his body so he'd be able to catch glances over the table, looking at what they did. Somewhere in between Dokusonmaru had satisfied his thirst, still leaving some milk in the bowl for later and joined them. He jumped up on the table, clearly about to disarrange their game, but Kasuka's calm voice calling the pale coloured cat's name, made it behave again.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

Never before had Izaya laid eyes on the Japanese version of this game that originated from America. He had seen and even played the English version once, but he wasn't aware that it even existed with kanji and kana. Then again, it wasn't like this was of any importance for his job as an informant.

He had to shake his head a few times already when the brute passed on his turn even though he was capable of writing a word. Was he so engrossed in telling the younger man what had happened the day before that he simply couldn't see, or was this just another solid proof of his protozoan brain?

"You should stop chasing him around, brother." the emotion lacking male told his brother after he had finished his story. Dokusonmaru, whom he had to call Maru-san in order to not get punished again, jumped down the table rolling around on the floor. _'Let' play, Kuro.'_ he purred but got ignored instead.

"You know I can't do that, Kasuka. I love him too much to just simply ignore him." Shizuo said while nearly whispering the last part. Izaya jolted in the blonde's lap.

Again! Shizuo had said it again and in front of his beloved baby brother of all people. What was it that made his nemesis fall so deeply in love with him? What reason does Heiwajima Shizuo have for something as ridiculous as loving Orihara Izaya? The man, who chooses to simply love no one in a special way, to only love humanity as a whole, excluding every monster, because they were not worth his affection.

 _'Kuro.'_ he heard Maru-san call him but paid no attention to him.

"Then confess to him. He should know what you feel for him." Kasuka advised.

 _'Kuuurooo~ Let's play.'_

"You think so too?" the bodyguard asked. The others face was still blank so he wasn't sure what went through that head of his. "What do you mean with 'too'?" he finally spoke his thoughts.

 _'Don't ignore me.'_

The blonde sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "I met his sisters earlier this morning."

 _'Hey!'_

Izaya frowned. "I think they know what I truly feel for Izaya." Shizuo explained.

 _'Shorty!'_

"Then you really should just do it. You can't hide it forever. It's eating away on you and if his sisters are able to see it, then who knows when he'll find out about it."

He was really confused now. He had thought they were talking about him…

 _'Incoming!'_

…but about whose sisters were they talking about?

A sudden force knocked him down from the blondes lap.

 _'You shouldn't ignore me, Shorty.'_ Dokusonmaru scolded him as they rolled over the floor in a tangled mess.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

* * *

A/N: In case any of you hadn't known about this, there really is a Japanese scrabble with kanji and kana letters, though I don't know if the rules are any different from those with romanji letters.


	10. Chapter 10 - Something to worry about

**Chapter 10 – Something to worry about**

As Shizuo confided to his little brother that a black haired flea's sisters seemed to have taken a guess on his true feelings, Kuro had seemed to gain an interest on the conversation the two brothers had. Seeing the little kitten's face dart from himself to his little brother and back to him out of the corner of his eyes, made it look as if the little guy actually understood the topic they were talking about. That he even ignored Dokusonmaru's constant mewling to get the black feline's attention made him think that all the more.

And then his brother got him thinking again. He was right. If the little sisters of that lousy bastard, he loved so much, had been able to see through his whole act, then how long until the object of his desires himself, would realize what was going on. Then again… Maybe he already knows…

But… If he truly knows, the raven haired man would show some kind of reaction toward him, wouldn't he? Like mocking him, or just avoiding him out of plain disgust.

So the fact that Orihara Izaya was still seeking him out through the crowds of people he claimed to love so much, was reassuring to the blonde in more than one way.

Kasuka was absolutely right. Shizuo should just walk up to the flea and shout out his love towards him. Well, maybe not shout, but he still had to bring the meaning across to the other. Shouldn't be all too difficult anyway.

So he made up his decision. Once Izaya was up from his coma, he'd walk up to the man in question and confess. That much he owed him.

Just as he had made his decision, the chubby looking cat seemed to have come to a decision itself, as he charged at the black fur ball sitting on his lap, eyeing him curious.

The bodyguard had noticed the red or rather said orange furred cat starting to sprint towards him, but his reaction was too slow as to counter react to Dokusonmaru's action in any way.

And so it happened that a blur of pale red tackled a bundle of black to the floor resulting in them tumbling across it.

Hissing was heard coming from Kuro, but just as he'd assumed the stubborn and carefree Yuigadokusonmaru to act, he just does what he wants. In this case, hovering over the smaller one and starting to lick all over the others face.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

 _'Stop licking me!'_ he desperately shouted at his attacker, hoping that it would make the harassment stop. _'And what was that for anyway?!'_

Maru-"san", as he had to call the other cat, wasn't listening to him. _'Stop it!'_ he wailed again, this time at least getting a reaction out from the other.

 _'You're fur is all tousled up, it's annoying. Don't you groom yourself?'_ he wondered aloud before continuing: _'What a strange fellow you are.'_

 _'Whose fault is it, huh?! Don't insult me!'_ Kuro alias Izaya still struggled. _'I'm a cat just as you are!'_ he shouted without realising something important. Namely that he just called himself a cat despite not actually been born as one.

It completely slipped his mind.

"They have grown close pretty fast, don't you think, big brother?" Kasuka's voice resounded in its usual monotone way.

"You think so?" This was Shizu-chan's voice that answered. "To me it looks as if Kuro isn't enjoying it all that much." he continued, but as the young actor just waved his comment off as cats just being that way, he kept silent about it.

So while reluctantly, at the beginning at least, leaving the black furred one in the grasp of a slightly bigger and older cat, he and his beloved little brother resumed their game, with what they were doing up until now for a little while longer.

In the mean time Izaya/Kuro was roughly groomed by Maru-san's tongue and chased by him through the whole flat afterwards. So much for straightening his fur. The intentions of the actor's cat weren't bad ones; he was just your daily mischievous and playful feline.

Totally exhausted the black cat slumped down on a cushion that they had kicked down from the couch while in the middle of their chase. One good thing the chase had brought with itself had been gaining a little bit more control over his body.

As he closed his eyes in an attempt to rest, he felt Maru-san's tongue licking over his head again. Once, twice, until his warm body snuggled up to him on top of the cushion. _'You're not so bad.'_ he purred. _'You can become my friend instead of an underling.'_ Maru-san proposed to him now.

The warmth and the soft vibration of the others body were soothing and slowly lead him to drift asleep.

They hadn't slept so long as twenty minutes to half an hour later a snapping sound and the sudden flash of something bright made them both stir from their sleep. At the sound Dokusonmaru hastily lifted his head up to look at the source of whatever offended their little nap. A heartily yawn and a long stretch later, Kuro tried to blink the sleep from his eyes.

"Ah! I'm sorry, guys. I forgot to turn off the flash." a baritone voice apologized to them. As red orbs started to focus again he spotted a blond mop.

 _'Shizu-chan!'_ he mewled happily before once again stretching his still tired limbs. The fake blonde sat cross-legged on the floor. He approached the man and started to climb on the others lap. While his haunches were standing on the blonde's lap, he placed his forepaws on the others chest stretching himself as much as possible to face him. Shizuo smiled and leaned a bit down towards him. The black cat took this chance he got there to nuzzle his head against the others chin. _'Good morning.'_ He purred loudly while he began kneading the man's chest with his paws.

"Haha! That tickles Kuro." Shizuo's soft laughter resounded and he could feel those big warm hands stroking his head in a gentle way. A warm feeling began pooling itself inside his stomach and he could feel his heart skip a few beats.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

"He really has taken a liking to you. If you're lucky enough, Kuro starts to miss you so much that Orihara-san allows you to visit him." At the name the younger Heiwajima had mentioned the kitten's ears perked up and his head snapped towards the actor.

"It could be your chance on getting closer to him." Kasuka continued while picking up his own cat.

"Say bye-bye, Dokusonmaru." he added while facing his pet towards his brother and the black kitten, moving the red furred ones paws in an attempt to wave at them.

To be honest, seeing this straight faced man doing so looked cute, but in a way that wasn't his original intention.

The bodyguard laughed. "Thanks for coming over, Kasuka. Let's do it again sometime." he said while his little brother placed his cat inside the transportation box he had brought him with.

"Yes." the younger one nodded. "But I'll only come visit you again once you confessed to Orihara-san. Are we clear?"

Knowing his little brother, Shizuo knew that he'd go through with his threat. After all, being stubborn was a family trait. Sighing he scratched the back of his head with one hand, while he let down Kuro back on the floor with the other one.

"I had decided on confessing after he wakes up anyway." Shizuo said as he followed his brother towards the entrance, where Kasuka put on his shoes. Kuro had followed him.

As Kasuka reached for the door handle, he turned towards his brother again. "Now that I think of it…" he made a pause. "You mentioned that Orihara-sans sisters are fans of mine. I can bring over autographs for them next time. Can you write me down their names so I won't use the wrong letters?" he asked.

"Really? That'd be great. Wait here, I'll be right back." That said, Shizuo walked back to his living room and came back only a little later with a small piece of paper in hand, all the time being followed by the gaze of reddish eyes.

"Their names are Mairu and Kururi." Red orbs went as wide as possible. The famous man pocketed the piece of paper inside one of his jeans pockets, before waving at his big brother and leaving the apartment.

The bodyguard let out a deep sigh. Looking down at Kuro who sat next to him, he noticed the black feline's strange posture. It looked like he suddenly froze up to something.

"Kuro? You're all right?" he gave voice to his worry. The cat seemed to be shaking. "Kuro?!" he called again, the worry even stronger now.

"N-nyah…" came the shaky reply. Their eyes meeting again, but then the cat leapt away and back to where they came from.

He started following the cat with great concern. "Kuro, what's wrong?" he called after him. He spotted the tiny fur ball moving around on the couch table were he and his brother had played that game that was still lying on top of it.

Slowly, as if not to scare the little kitten any further, he walked up behind him to see what the cat was doing, probably only playing with the game's pieces. He couldn't have been more wrong.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

 _'What the hell…?!'_ was the only thought that raced through Izaya's or rather said, Kuro's head. Just know… _'What was that?!'_ his mind started to panic again.

Yesterday he had blamed the fact for being out of character from time to time due to himself having been turned into a cat, but now that those "instincts" made him think and cross borders he would have never dared to, he simply knew that there was something definitely wrong with him. What would he have done next, if the mention of his name by the younger Heiwajima hadn't snapped him out of whatever trance he was in?

A shudder ran down his spine as he thought back at what he had done to AND thought about the blonde brute.

"I had decided on confessing after he wakes up anyway." Hearing those words from his eternal nemesis, he snapped his head towards him. He was so caught up in his mind that he hadn't noticed the blonde putting him down again. Shizuo had started to follow his brother towards the entrance area and so he did too.

 _'Right._ _Shizu-chan… is… in love with me.'_ he thought to himself. It left a strange taste in his mouth. _'So, Shizu-chan considers confessing to me… but I hate him. It would only hurt him… Wait! Why do I even care?!'_ Izaya heavily shook his head. He registered the two males still speaking to each other.

Kasuka spoke of Orihara-sans sisters and then Ikebukuro's fortissimo hurried away, the feline's gaze followed him. Orihara-sans sisters, HIS sisters… Because he was Orihara Ku- No! His name IS Orihara Izaya.

 _'Why… don't I remember having sisters?!'_ he thought still staring towards the blond. Shizu-chan came back and then he heard those two names. Mairu and Kururi.

 _'How could I…'_ he trailed off, his body shivering from the fear and panic growing inside him. How could he forget? HOW?! He had forgotten about them, his own sisters. Their names?!

"Kuro?!" Shizuo called him, worry evident in his voice. Kasuka was gone now, but it still hadn't registered in him yet.

 _'Sh-Shizu…'_ his own voice shaking while he looked onto the blonde's face.

 _'I have to tell him.'_ he thought. _'Somehow, I have to tell him that I'm… that I'm…'_ his mind trailed of. An Idea hit him so he turned on his paws and raced back into the living room.

 **-o-o-o-o-**


	11. Chapter 11 - Gone crazy

**Chapter 11 – Gone crazy**

Kuro had stopped moving, now sitting in front of him still on top of his couch table, glaring at him and waiting for his reaction. He looked at the game of Scrabble he and Kasuka had played earlier. The combinations of letters they had formed before were now wiped off the surface only a few particular remaining. Some neither he nor his little brother had arranged the way they were now.

Swallowing he stared at the black kitten before him, then letting his eyes drift back towards those letters, as if to confirm they were there and that this wasn't just his imagination.

No, written down there, was a name, only one person dares and is allowed to use on him.

SHIZU-CHAN

 **-o-o-o-o-**

Kishitani Shinra was in a bad mood. He had planned on spending the rest of the day seducing his beloved fairy, but when Shiki-san called her for a job that was originally meant for his shape-shifted friend, Izaya, his overtures ended with a delicate, but strong fist to his stomach. Sure, since it was the couple's doing that the Awakusu-kai executive's favourite informant was out of business for the time being, Celty had agreed on taking over all the smaller jobs that would be coming for him. So knowing what a workaholic Izaya is, or better said was, he really should have expected the first mission coming in sooner than later.

While he was left lying on the floor, cradling his belly while the Dullahan left, he couldn't help himself but thinking about how cute she was being tsundere and all that. A big smile formed on his face.

Tsundere describes a person who his harsh or hostile towards the person they love, but then they show their warm, even love sick side, at least, that's what Shinra's research on this type of character had revealed to him.

Celty had punched him, she was harsh to him. So now he just had to wait for her to show her spoony side towards him.

"Soon, she'll come back and shower me with her love." he thought while grinning all over his face despite the pain in his stomach. So he waited… and waited… and waited… Until the clock hanging on the wall told him he was lying on the floor for almost an hour.

Only when his phone started ringing he decided on getting up again. Dusting off his white lab-coat he walked towards the kitchen counter, were he had left the noisy device on its own.

Knowing that it couldn't have been his beloved he looked at the display. An odd feeling formed itself inside his stomach as he read the name of his longest friend, like a premonition it felt. Nonetheless he picked up with his trademark care freeness.

"Hey, Shizuo. Why the call? Don't complain to me in case Kuro broke anything." Oh, how he wished that Izaya would hear him calling him by the new pet name the blond had unknowingly given him.

"Shinra, I need you. Now." came Shizuo's immediate order. The underground doctor stayed silent. "Shinra? You still alive?"

"Shizuo…" the brunette began. "I'm sorry, but my heart already belongs to my dear Celty." As if the fortissimo would be able to see him, he bowed in an apologetic way. A growl came from the other side.

"By the way…" he began while pushing his glasses up. "I thought your heart already belongs to Izaya. Why the sudden longing for me?"

A crash was heard from the other side of the phone followed by the beeping signalling the end of a call. Smiling to himself, Shinra tried calling back, in hope his childhood friend only dropped his mobile instead of breaking it in half.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

He didn't know why exactly. There wasn't any explanation for it. But after witnessing the little feline he was taking care of instead of its comatose master, had written the nickname this certain master gave him, a sudden urge to call the annoying underground doctor came over him. After all, it was Shinra who asked him to take care of this kitten.

Shizuo wasn't thinking straight that time. Izaya, the man he was undeniably in love with, was in a coma of which he personally was the cause of. And then there was this small, fragile looking being that reminded him on so many occasions of his crush.

He just couldn't leave the little fur ball. He couldn't leave Kuro in the care of some crazy doctor who was asking the very first friend he had made if he'd allow him to dissect him, every chance he gets. Celty had her own job. She couldn't keep an eye on her loony boyfriend 24/7.

Sure, he may not be a genius, and if he hadn't had other things to constantly worry about during his school days, the bleach blonde's grades would have been better too. Probably even a little bit somewhere above the average level. Heiwajima Shizuo, wasn't dumb, he had very good instincts as well and in those he puts his trust. So reason enough to follow his gut feeling and call that lab-coat wearing freak he thinks of as a friend.

Though, not too long after Shinra had picked up he regretted it immediately.

Shizuo was frozen still. The grip he had on the device he was holding up to his ear was loosening. Resulting in it falling down onto the table, where Kuro was sitting before jumping away, it then clattered onto the floor.

"Mreoooow!" whined the black kitten in an angry tone, probably cursing the device for nearly toppling down on him. Maybe even the male who was to blame for this in the first place.

Anyway, Shinra knew.

But how? Who told him? He never told Celt, only Kasuka. Then again… The twins seemed to know about his feelings, so maybe others noticed as well.

The ringing of his phone, followed by Kuro's angry hiss startled him out of his thoughts. Crouching down to pick up the noisy device, he could read the bespectacled man's name on the display.

"Who told you?!" was the blonde's greeting as he answered the doctor's call. Face flushed a deep shade of red.

"Dropped your phone, huh?" He could hear the snickering sound at the end of Shinra's sentence.

"But to answer your question… You did, just now." There was only silence coming from Ikebukuro's strongest. In his head only one word repeated itself like a mantra. "Fuck!"

"I had my suspicion, but not enough to prove it to Celty. Thanks to you, my darling Angel has to arrange a date for me now."

This seemed to break him out of his mantra. "Wait!" he said. "You… had a bet running on rather I like the flea or not?!" This statement wasn't helping his already shortened fuse.

"She wouldn't believe my idea that you may feel the opposite than what you let on for Izaya."

As Shizuo was about to open his mouth again, another mewl got his attention. He was still crouching on the floor, while the cat was still residing on top of the couch table. They were eyelevel now and the kitten's reddish eyes seemed to throw daggers at him.

Swallowing the lump that was now building up in his throat he continued. "Shinra! Now get your ass over here before I have to come over to drag you all the way." he threatened.

"Okay, okay. Just have a little more patience with me. Celty is gone on business so it will take some time before I'm at your place. By the way… Care to fill me in what's wrong?" "You'll see when you get here." was all the answer he gave the doctor before he hung up on him.

He threw his phone onto the couch. Sighing deeply as he ran both his hands through the strands of his hair. Thinking back on everything he thought of a few possible explanations on how this little kitten that was probably still starring at him knew how to write his name, and his nickname out of everything. Maybe he's just missing Izaya so much that he's going crazy now.

Oh, boy! When Shinra gets here and hears Shizuo's tale he'll probably end up describing him some pretty strong meds.

He began to feel utterly stupid now. Why did he even end up calling him? There wasn't even a reason for it.

After reading "SHIZU-CHAN" he just saw the flea sitting before him in his mind's eye. But this was so stupid. Izaya is unconscious. He had seen the dark haired man's small body lying there in their friend's makeshift hospital with his own eyes.

"Damn Flea. You're making me crazy." he mumbled under his breath. Soon after, something akin to a snort was heard.

Blinking his eyes he lifted his head from the floor he had starred at up until now, to meet red ones with black slits as pupils. Kuro was looking at him.

"Did you… just snort at me?" he asked the cat. He really must turn into some mental case now.

Another similar sounding huff left the feline before a short meow left the tiny mouth.

Shizuo stayed silent, carefully eyeing the cat.

No, this couldn't be. It was just impossible… But maybe…

Deciding that since he turned out to be crazy anyway there was nothing to lose.

"Mewl twice." he ordered. Rolling his eyes Kuro did as he was asked. The bodyguard's eyes widened. "What's three plus one?"

As the cat before him meowed four times his feet automatically tried to jump away from the small animal. Instead of doing as they should, from his still crouched position, he ended up falling on his ass.

No! It couldn't be. It just couldn't all those tricks his mind had played on him over the course of time he had spent with the kitten. The nickname. He really must be losing his mind for even considering this.

"You can't be…" shaky words trembled over his lips. "…Izaya?"

 **-o-o-o-o-**


	12. Chapter 12 - Realization

**Chapter 12 – Realization**

While listening in on Shizuo's side of the phone call to the underground doctor, Izaya really missed the ability to form his trademark smirk upon his features.

For once the blonde calamity had done just what he wanted him to do. Sure, while at it, the protozoa's phone nearly crashed down on him and after Shinra had called back, Shizuo began drifting off topic. Luckily after making his presence known again the blonde managed on convincing Shinra to come over.

So now he only had to worry about how to make his problem known to them. Good thing that the younger Heiwajima had decided today off all days, to set up "Scrabble" to play with his big brother. It would come in quite handy for writing purposes, though he had to keep his messages short so it wouldn't take to long writing them. He knew that his lab-coat wearing friend was smart enough to count two and two together, so it shouldn't take long to figure out what's wrong.

Looking at the letters which still laid scattered around on the couch table he made mental notes on what he'll be able to write with them.

"Damn Flea. You're making me crazy." the tall male that was still crouching down starring at the floor in front of him mumbled while running a hand through his bleached locks.

The feline turned informant let out a snort at the hilarious statement he just heard. The other seemed to have heard his snort, because the next thing he did was blink in confusion before Shizuo met the black kitten's stare.

"Did you… just snort at me?" the bodyguard asked. Izaya let out a sigh before answering in a rhetorical question. _'You see anyone else, Shizu-chan?'_

Silence met him while the look on the others face obviously showed the progress of hard thinking. Izaya/Kuro was sure that soon something stupid would come out from the protozoa's soft looking lips.

Before the cat could even grasp the full meaning of his thoughts his caretaker spoke up again. "Mewl twice." came the order, making him roll his eyes.

 _'Meow meow'_ he said in a bored tone since there wouldn't be any other sounds than mewls leaving his throat anyway. The blonde's eyes grew wide.

"What's three plus one?" Another roll of the cat's eyes. _'For real?!'_ the info-broker thought. He could easily answer this question by simply saying "four", but what would reach the ears of the human in front of him would be a single cat-like sound. So degrading himself he just mewled again, four times now.

After finishing, a thought ran through his mind. _'Why does it feel so strange to think of Shizu-chan as a human being? Didn't I always believe that?'_

A low bump made him snap out of his wonder, as he eyed Ikebukuro's fortissimo sitting on his butt while staring at him as if he had grown a second tail and horns on top of his head. He probably tried to stand up but couldn't make his legs obey.

Again, the blonde was obviously thinking about something. It made Izaya wonder if Shizuo would be smart enough to figure it out on his own. He was well aware of his opponent's good instincts. The only question now was if the brute's mind was overt enough to reach past contradictions and grasp the right conclusion.

"You can't be…" The shaky voice that reached him made him want to smirk once again. "…Izaya?"

 _'Congrats, Shizu-chan! You seem to have a good enough head sitting on top of your shoulders.'_ the kitten answered in a string of mewls.

After a few seconds of silence it was Izaya's turn to be confused when the faux blonde male got up and walked into his kitchen. Opening the refrigerator, Shizuo took out a bottle of fruit milk, which looked like banana flavor from where the kitten sat stretching his neck to glance at him. Afterwards he made his way into the hallway where the bedroom was located.

Kuro/Izaya leapt down from the couch table and took off after the brute, thought he got a door slammed into his face instead.

 _'Oi!'_ he made it known that he was still out there. _'Brute! Open up the door!'_ Accompanying his pleads to be let inside he clawed against the wood.

"Shut up, Flea! Leave me alone and be quiet until Shinra's here!" was heard from inside the bedroom making Izaya huff in slight defeat.

 _'Fine! Be that way! But I'm staying right here, so don't you think about masturbating while looking at my photo. Are we clear?!'_ the feline mewled in clear distaste while bumping his right hind leg against the shut door. "I don't understand a word, so shut up, Flea!"

Another huff left the black furred kitten before he curled up in the corner were the wooden surface and the door frame met each other.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

It had been only one and a half hour ago, when he promised his little brother to man-up and confess to his long time crush. Not too long after making said promise he realized that he already had done so. And several times already, even though it happened without him being aware of it.

Then again… Who would have thought that the little kitten he temporarily took under his care would turn out to be his black haired and gorgeous looking love interest? Shortly after asking himself this question he came up with a name… No, two names to be exact. He was already determined to give Shinra hell for this. Of course AFTER the glasses wearing male finished explaining everything to him and answering all of his questions. Celty thought, was another story. He'd probably just listen to her version of this and forgive her anyway. What could he do? She was his best fiend after all. And that's what friends do, they forgive each other. Sure, Shinra was his friend too, but since they both had known each other so long he was an exception.

"Really now!" the blonde haired male sighed, letting his left hand run through his bleached hair. "I feel like a damn hypocrite." Shizuo mumbled to himself, his right hand caressing a nearly downed bottle of banana milk. Earlier this day, he was so determined to confess to Izaya. Truth be told, he still hadn't thought about the "how", but he was still ready to go through with it. After realizing that Kuro, to whom he had rambled on about his undying love towards Shinjuku's informant, and Orihara Izaya were in fact one and the same person slash animal… How did he react? He ran. Just like a fucking school girl whose crush caught her drawing little hearts with both their names inside in one of her school books.

He had shut himself inside his bedroom and sat down with his back right against the door. "As if the flea could pick my lock and open the door while being a cat." he snorted thinking to himself.

How manly of "Ikebukuro's strongest".

He even lost his temper at Izaya and shouted that he wanted to be left alone. Sure, it was the fucking/lovely Flea, but still, he was nothing more than a tiny, adorable, black, fluff ball at the moment. He could… Okay, to tell the truth, he IS still as annoying as ever, but he was a kitty cat right now, for fuck's sake. How could Shizuo scream at a cat or even hide from it? He should consider the fact that he just did both of it right now.

How was it even possible? He had seen Izaya lying on that make-shift hospital bed with his own two eyes. He saw the others chest rise up and down ever so slightly, felt the others skin when he brushed his fingers against him while no one was looking and felt the warmth seeping through him from the simple touch, making his fingers tingle from the memory alone. How was it possible, that the human Izaya was unconscious but still alive, also run around as a cat at the same time? He had no fucking idea.

He couldn't help but drift back to the thought that this was all being just his imagination. Maybe he really was going crazy. Shizuo had to admit that he couldn't decide which one he preferred right now. All this being the truth or just signs that he should start considering to check himself into a loony bin. Which to choose?

"Goddamn it." he groaned out just before downing the rest of his drink. Frowning when the liquid wasn't cold anymore as he had expected it to be, but warm from him holding onto the bottle for quite some time now.

"How long until Shinra finally gets here?" he whispered absentmindedly. Just then the ringing of his door bell resounded through his apartment.

Getting up from the floor and turning around he opened his door, only to freeze shortly after. Kuro, no, Izaya was lying curled up at the threshold, seemingly in deep slumber.

The blonde's fingers itched, wanting nothing more, than to touch the silky raven colored fur. The doorbell rang again pulling him out of his trance. Carefully he stepped past the sleeping "cat" hurrying himself towards the entrance of his flat, in case Shinra would just up and walk away if he wouldn't reach it in time.

And how right he was to trust his intuition, because right as he opened the door he had to reach out and grab the underground doctor's collar from behind to stop the man from leaving again.

"Stay!" Shizuo ordered his childhood friend, resulting in said man to whine at him. "I'm not a dog, Shizuo. And by the way, you're chocking me."

"Do I look like I care?" the blonde answered when he turned the brunette around facing him. "Now get in there." he said while pointing behind him.

After shoving Shinra inside and closing the door he faced his guest again.

"So?" the bespectacled man started. "What's the matter?"

Yeah, that was indeed a really good question. That's something he wanted to know, but where to start? Well… First he could show him the nickname "Kuro" had written earlier. Yes, now this was a good starting point, wasn't it?

 **-o-o-o-o-**


	13. Chapter 13 - Cute kittens and bells

**Chapter 13 – Cute kittens and bells**

"You'll see when you get here." Shizuo said before hanging up on him. No word or even a hint on what he could even want from the doctor. Nothing. He was sure that it had to be something about Izaya, or better said Kuro. After all, his childhood friend wasn't even aware that he was currently caring for his crush stuck in the body of a small kitten. It would be interesting to see how both his friends would react in case the underground doctor would "accidental" slip up and call the black feline by his actual name.

As tempting as it may be, Shinra knew that it would only result in Shizuo losing his temper and Izaya to start planning some sort of revenge.

Then again… He was sure that his black haired friend was already scheming on different ways to make is disagreement on the whole fiasco known, once everything was done. That is, if he hadn't already come up with something.

While taking his sweet time to reach the blonde man's apartment, Shinra came across a pet store. Shoving up his glasses with a finger made the sun reflect on them for a brief second. An idea popped up into his head. He wasn't all too keen about making Ikebukuro's fortissimo angry, or better said angrier than he surely already was. But since a certain cat-turned informant was sure to take his own revenge on him, he could at least enjoy the whole situation as much as possible. Decision made, he walked inside the store. It hadn't taken long until he found what he searched for, a bright red collar with a golden bell hanging from it and a small bag of silver vine.

It got even better after he reached the counter to pay for the goods. The cashier informed him of a special offer they currently had in store. Namely, that he could get his pet's name engraved on the bell's surface. He would have been an idiot if he hadn't immediately jumped on the offer.

Only ten minutes later he walked out of the store. A bag of silver vine and a red collar with a golden bell, that had "Kuro" engraved on it inside one of his lab coat's pockets. He merrily continued on his way.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

Shizuo wasn't exactly the nicest when he ordered Shinra to step inside his flat. He had treated him like a dog while chocking him before literally shoving him inside. What a nice way of greeting an old friend. Seriously.

After he had asked the bodyguard what it was he needed him for, he was met with silence. Shizuo seemed to contemplate on something.

"Follow me." he started after a few seconds stepping deeper into his own home. The brunette male shed off his shoes before following the blonde into the living room.

As soon as Shinra stepped in, a quiet mewl reached their ears. Facing the door towards the hallway leading to the bath- and the bedroom, a kitten as black as the night itself came into view.

Not noticing the bleached man opening his mouth to say something, Shinra interrupted him. "Ah, Kuro-chan! Nice to see you." he coed over the black cat, inwardly grinning at himself for doing so. The kitten meowed again, looking all cute and innocent while it approached him, eyes shinning with curiosity. The bespectacled man realized too late that the cat-turned man was probably going to use his legs as a substitute for a scratching pole. Kuro had already reached his legs. Squeezing his eyes shot, he waited for the pain that was about to come over him. Instead he felt the warm little fur ball rub against him, while purring loud enough for both men to hear.

"What the…" he mumbled in disbelieve. "Is this some kind of trap?" the doctor thought to himself before taking a step back from the cat and crouching down.

"N-Nice to see you too, Kuro?" His sentence sounded more like a question. "Looks like you don't hate me as much as before." Shinra was quite irritated by the ex-human's behavior.

Reminding himself to not let his guard down he slowly reached out his right hand. Hesitating to pat Kuro on the head, the hand hovered a few inches above the cat's head. Finally the decision was made by Kuro, as he reached his head up and leaned into the warmth of the male's palm.

"Maybe he decided on acting like a real cat in order to not get Shizuo suspicious of him." he concluded in his mind, risking a sideway glance at the taller man, thought from his position he couldn't make out the look on his face.

His grin that had stayed on his face despite the surprise and his inner debate grew wider.

"Kuro-chan, I brought you something nice." he announced before pulling out the collar. His eyes grew slightly wide as Izaya happily wagged his tail while he let the doctor put it on.

"Okay… this is getting weird. Interesting, but mostly weird." shot through his head.

"Oi, Flea. What's wrong with you?" he could hear Shizuo ask from behind. Snapping his head towards the blonde, Shinra could see the part irritated, part worried look on the ex-bartender's face.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

The flea was acting strange again. Before he had known that Kuro and Izaya were one and the same… Person? Cat? Flea? What was he supposed to call him now?

No, this wasn't of importance now. Shizuo shook away his thoughts.

Before, when they were still in the apartment that his childhood friend lived in together with his best friend, the kitten acted violent towards the doctor. Hissing, biting and scratching at him every chance he got and now… Now he seemed to… to like the brunette. Enjoying to be petted by Shinra, leaning into his touch, even purring…

If he weren't worried about this certainly strange behavior right now he would act on the slight feeling of jealousy he felt inside. Only now he noticed Shinra's wide eyed stare.

"Wait! You know?!" the mad scientist slash doctor asked him. Shizuo pointed towards the couch table. "I'm not stupid enough as to not get a clue when a cat is writing the stupid nickname the flea gave me."

Shinra looked in the direction the blonde pointed at and realized soon enough the meaning of his words.

Meeting the bodyguard's eyes again, both males let their glance travel down towards the kitten that sat in their middle, curiously looking up at the both of them. His tail wiggled around in a happy notion. He meowed at them again before tilting his head cutely.

"Why is he acting that way?" Shinra asked pointing at the feline? "Did you drop him on your way home yesterday?" The bleached man growled at his supposed friend. "No I didn't and I don't know what's wrong with him!" he said all irritated and on the edge of throwing something, or rather said someone with brown hair and specs. "I only found out about him before I called you. Made me realize that he's acting kinder strange from time to time ever since we got here yesterday."

"Meow!" Kuro interrupted him, snuggling his body against Shizuo's clothed legs, the movement made the bell on his collar chime.

"Flea?" Shizuo raised a brow. No reaction from the feline. "Oi, Flea?!" a bit louder now. Sure the kitten looked up at him now, but only because he raised his voice a bit. Tipping his chin Shinra watched as the black furred tail happily swished over the floor as Kuro sat on his hind legs, starring at Shizuo.

"Izaya?" called Shinra out. The tail froze in its movement, to be exact, the kitten's whole body did. The cat blinked once, twice, before seeming to recognize the two males standing there while watching him.

"I'm not exactly sure what's going on, but are you… Hmmm… How do I put it?" the doctor began musing over his words. "Are you… back with us?" he finally asked.

Kuro, who now seemed to be back to being Izaya again, dashed towards the couch table and jumped up on it. Soon he began to work his way around the scrabble board. Choosing letters and arranging them in some sort of order. The two men walked over and set down in front of him.

The black cat's body trembled, before it stepped out of the way so they could see what he had to say.

"Shinra, what's… on?" the glasses wearing man read the message out loud. "Are you intending to ask me what's going on?" The cat nodded its head. Shinra thought of it for a moment.

"Can you give me more details on what's wrong with you? I need to be sure of some things."

At the words the doctor spoke Izaya began to write again. Shizuo glanced at Shinra's face; he lacked his usual goofy attitude. An occurrence that only happened when he was in his serious doctor-mode or when it had something to do with his beloved Celty. It gave Shizuo the impression that he had some suspicion on what's going on.

He looked back at Izaya who was still in the process of writing something.

Once it was clear what could be wrong with him, he'd make sure that Shinra would fix this whole mess. Getting Izaya back to normal, back to being his wanna-be-godlike-human-whatever-self was the most important thing now. Then and only then, when he was sure that his crush was alright, he'd have Shinra spill the beans on what exactly happened.

By now, Izaya seemed to have finished the text he wrote, though it didn't look like something Orihara Izaya would write, more like Simon had placed the kanjis the way they laid before them.

"ME NOT FEEL ME"

"NOT KNOW TWINS NAME"

Okay, he had to admit that even Simon would form his sentences better than this. Shizuo wondered why. With all the kanjis that laid spread out on the table he could write a bunch of sentences that would actually make sense. But this…

"Nod if I'm right." Shinra interrupted Shizuo's thoughts. "Could it be that even thought the sentence is clear in your head you have problems to decipher some kanjis?" It was a wild guess from Shinra's mind, but it was the most logical conclusion he came up with. And surely the cat nodded. Shizuo's eyes grew the size of plates while Shinra nodded to himself.

 **-o-o-o-o-**


	14. Chapter 14 - It's getting serious

**Chapter 14 – It's getting serious**

So Izaya really had problems to distinguish certain kanjis while being a cat. The broken sentences he wrote gave him some general idea on what was happening to his friend right now. There was only one thing to get cleared in order to back up his hypothesis.

"Shizuo?" he began to speak making the blonde haired man beside him snap his attention from the black furred kitten back to himself. "Did you, for some reason, mention Mairu and Kururi out loud in front of Izaya?" Like he thought the fake blonde nodded in response.

"Yeah. Kasuka was over and we talked about them just before he left… Ah!" Shizuo had seemed to notice something himself. "That was just before the flea raced up here to write that fucking nickname." "Makes sense." Shinra thought after hearing out his friend.

"So?" Shizuo began. "Do you know what's up with him or not?" he continued pointing his thumb at the feline sitting on the couch-table. This ungraceful manner earning a glare from said cat.

"Me not feel me." Shinra spoke out aloud the first part of the message the informant had written. "Do you mean to say that you don't feel like yourself anymore?"

The Kuro turned Izaya made a nodding gesture.

"Especially during those times when you act strange?" Another nod. "When I came here where you aware of yourself? Did you realize that I put a collar around your neck?" he continued to ask. Kuro's/Izaya's tail stood up straight, his eyes wide. The next thing he tried was to glance down at his own neck. The keyword was tried. He couldn't possibly catch a glimpse of what was around his neck.

"I guess this means 'No'." Shinra concluded. Taking of his glasses with one hand, he reached for his doctor smocks with the other.

"Not know twins name." he spoke the second part as he rubbed the white fabric on the transparent surface.

"When Shizuo and Kasuka-san mentioned your sisters; couldn't you only not remember their names or did you forgot you have sisters altogether?" He raised his glasses up to the ceiling, looking for any dirty spots. There was one left. Breathing on the glasses he brought them back to rub them with the white clothe he's wearing. In the mean time no answer came from the cat while Shizuo had his arms locked with each other. He wasn't sure if the tick mark on the other's forehead was from rising anger or worry for his love interest.

Rising up his glasses again he realized his mistake. He had asked Izaya a question he couldn't possible answer with only yes or no.

"First option mewl once, second mewl twice." he said, feeling content with having clean specs again. The cat meowed two times.

Putting his glasses back on him, he shoved them up along the bridge of his nose. "Do you mind me asking some more questions?" Izaya shook his head indicating "NO" for an answer.

"You remember your last name?" After some thinking the cat's answer was no.

"Birthday?" A hesitant yes.

"Age?" No.

"Your address?" No again.

"Occupation?" A certain yes.

He didn't ask anymore questions. "So Izaya remembers some things and some not?" Shizuo spoke again after a long time of just staying silent and listening, his voice quiet and filled with worry. He didn't even seem to realize he had called the black haired/furred man/cat by his given name, even thought he was adamant on not doing so ever since Shinra came over. Reason for that probably because he found out earlier that Shinra knew about his affection, so the bodyguard made a poor attempt of trying to still hide these feelings.

A grin spread on the brunette's face. His carefree attitude coming back to him "I believe I have a theory on what's going on." he said, interlocking his arms with each other while looking thoughtful up at the ceiling.

But in order to have his blonde friend understand the whole of the situation they are in, he had to explain how it was possible that Izaya was here, being a tiny kitten, while at the same time being in a coma back at his and Celty's love nest.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

Shizuo was nearing his limit. He was desperately holding back on punching those freaking specs from Shinra's stupid face. Not only that he had made his best friend use her newly acquired, or was it reacquired? Not important!

Not only that he made her use this strange skill to turn his Flea that he loved so much into a cat for some stupid reason called "revenge", but he also explained the whole ordeal grinning like some fucking idiot the whole time. All excited like a kid bragging to his friend what he got for Christmas. So know Shizuo knew what made all _this_ possible, but he still didn't know the exact magnitude of all _this_.

If it weren't for Shinra to fix all this, he would have punched him back to were he came from dozen's of times by now.

"So Celty dragged his soul out of his body so it would take on the form of whatever would picture his character the most." he summarized the mad doctor's words who nodded full of enthusiasm.

"You caught on rather quickly, Shizuo." he chirped whereupon the bleached male gnashed his teeth. "I'm not stupid, Shinra." he growled. Shinra tuned towards him and bowed apologetic. Sensing the fortissimo was definitely holding back on punching him.

"So?" the bodyguard asked through clenched teeth while sparing a glance at a tired looking black cat. The info-broker seemingly getting tired a lot. It was nothing unusual for real kittens to sleep most of their day away, but he wasn't a real kitten. He was, no is human. Izaya, thought he felt more comfortable on calling him Kuro while looking like this, had made himself comfortable on the coffee table. Lying on his stomach; his hind legs drawn close to his body while the front legs lay outstretched before him. He looked like that Egypt monument thing he saw in a documentary on TV. Spi…Sphi… something with an x at the end. Spyrix? No, sounds weird.

Anyway, his head hung low and his eyes weren't fully open. It was cute, to know that Izaya's inner most self wasn't some goddamn bastard flea with a god-complex, but a fluffy, adorable, playful kitten instead.

"So?" Shinra repeated the question Shizuo had made a while ago, before he lost himself in his thoughts. Snapping out of it he sends a menacing glare at his bespectacled friend.

"What's wrong with him? Why's he randomly acting weird? Well, weirder, considering it's him we're talking 'bout. Also… Is it normal for him to sleep so much?"

As he could hear Shinra gulping down his own spit, he let out a low growl.

"You see…" the doctor began rubbing his neck nervously. "Every other time I had Celty test her skill on people, we turned them back just before they could even wake up while being in their soul's true form. Oh, that sounds quite poetic. Don't you think so-OUCH!" Shizuo had flicked his forehead. Since Shinra had the pleasure of having his forehead flicked by Ikebukuro's strongest already once in the past he knew how much the blonde held back just now. "How romantic. Your concern for Izaya helps you control your powers." was what he would have liked to say, but he knew that it would only land him in the way of a truck, just for opening his mouth to give voice to those words.

"Izaya is the first case we- Okay! ME! ME!" he panicked when Shizuo rose up his right fist. At the doctor's outburst the feline snapped out of his hazy state. Blinking his eyes he looked between the two men before letting out a huge yawn that showed of those sharp fangs.

"The first case I intended on having to stay in this form for a longer period of time. So I wasn't aware that there would be some side effects." confessed Shinra.

The ex-bartender furrowed his brows at those words. "Side-effects?" he repeated. Shinra nodded.

"Yes. I believe,… No, I'm certain now that the longer a person stays in their soul's true form, the more they turn into exactly that. Forgetting more and more about their human self while submitting to their instincts. In our case, that means Izaya is turning into a cat for real… probably." he continued to explain his theory. "Probably?!" the taller of the two raised his voice, waking up the tired looking cat from his daze it had fallen in again.

Shinra sighed. "I can't say for sure, since it is only a theory, Shizuo. We'd have to experiment on it longer to-" "NO!" the ex-bartender interrupted him. "No more pocking and experimenting on the flea. Turn him back! Now! Or I'll shove my foot up your ass high enough so you'd be able to bite off my toenails!" It was a threat Shinra believed him to make possible. But even without Shizuo threatening him, Shinra wouldn't risk losing one of his only friends only to satisfy his own curiosity. More importantly it would make his beloved feel guilty for all eternity. In the worst case she'd end up leaving him because it was his idea to begin with. Celty would be the most painful loss, but not the only one, because Shizuo would never want to have anything to do with him ever again in case they lose Izaya's conscious.

Shinra stood up from his sitting position, fishing out his phone from one of his pockets. He was about to text Celty to come over when suddenly a black furred cat hissed in his direction before launching himself at him. Screaming he nearly dropped his phone.

Being a kitten, Izaya couldn't manage enough power to attack Shinra's face or throat, whatever it was he wanted to slash into ribbons. Instead he managed to claw against his lap coat.

"No!" the underground medic screamed. "I got this one from my darling, Celty!" he whined, but to late. A kitten's claws could be as sharp as a knife and Izaya's were exactly like that. So he managed to rip a hole into the left pocket. While Shinra fought the urge on going all teary eyed at the sight of the ripped present he got from the Dullahan his heart belonged to, Shizuo noticed a little bag that had dropped down to the floor. It seemed to have been ripped open as well, since it also spilled its content. Izaya, who had dropped down to the floor right beside the bag had noticed it as well. In his curiosity he sniffed the air. The smell that hit his nose made his pupils grow wide. So wide it was nearly impossible to see his eye color anymore. The next thing he knew was that his body went completely slack and he crumbled down beside the little bag.

 **-o-o-o-o-**


	15. Chapter 15 – The effects of silver vine

**Chapter 15 – The effects of silver vine**

Orihara Izaya was always known as a cunning bastard, a manipulator who always kept his cool. At least that's the opinion of the general public. His parents know him as a responsible and independent young man. Ever since he was little they had left him in the care of his grandparents due to attending business trips quite often. He had never complained.

It wasn't really a big deal. They just lived two blocks away from his parents' house. After the twins were born and old enough for their mother to go back to work, Izaya took care of them alone, also because his grandparents moved to the countryside in favor of their own health. Still, Izaya never threw any tantrums.

Anyway… Not even Mr. and Mrs. Orihara had witnessed the full potential of emotions their own son displayed during different occasions. This was a privilege only one person had the pleasure of getting to know. This person was none other than Kishitani Shinra, Izaya's one and only best friend. The doctor was the only person ever who'd seen the dark haired informant at his worst, starting from the moment he took the knife that was meant for Izaya. This probably was also the moment that confirmed their friendship for good.

Ever since then, Izaya considered the underground doctor a friend, thought he occasionally regretted this times and times again due to the brunette's rather… unique… personality.

Shinra had managed quite often to upset him, using or better said trying to use him for stupid little experiments, or by just being blunt and talking nonsense.

But _this… This_ was definitely the worst he had ever done. Turning Izaya, his friend, into a cat without knowing all the consequences and side-effects…

It made his blood boil with rage.

He had to give Shizu-chan some slacks, for Izaya was just in the middle of experiencing a rage that made him want to go berserk and destroy something, preferable some brown haired male wearing specs and a lab coat. A man who was named "Shinra" by his parents.

It seems like between all the misfortune he had to suffer through since the day before, he finally had some luck, because there was someone who fitted the description perfectly standing right before him fishing a phone out of his pocket.

 _'Shinra, you four eyed bastard!'_ he hissed. Oh, how he missed being able to form words a human would be able to understand. But even so, he was still able to launch himself at his former friend. Sure, while being a kitten he couldn't seriously harm a human, but he could still inflict some pain on him.

Truth be told, he originally aimed for the others face, but upon hearing the girly scream and protest coming from Shinra for the feline's claws had entered the fabric of the clothe he wore, he felt at least a little satisfaction in tearing that stupid thing to pieces.

He noticed something fall out the hole he had just tore inside the white fabric and dropped down beside it. It was a bag with some strange green powder pouring out from it. Curious, as a cat should be, he wasted no moment before sniffing it… and froze as the smell entered his nose. It was like earlier today when he curled up for a nap on the discarded bartender vest the blonde man wore yesterday. The only difference was that it had been so much stronger now. Just after realizing this, the world began tilting sideways.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

"What the…?!" Shizuo shouted as the black kitten caved in on itself. He jumped up from where he was sitting, about to rush over to Izaya or Kuro… Whatever! After he had made the first step, there was movement to be seen from the kitten as he rolled on his back. It was soon followed by Izaya rubbing his fur clad head against the floor a loud purr emanating from his throat as he wiggled around in whatever this powder was. The bodyguard frowned; taking another step he reached the cat and crouched down beside him. After dipping his left pointer finger inside the layer of green that was still on the floor and not already stuck on Kuro's fur from all the rolling around in it, he brought his finger to his face and sniffed at it. Yes, he knew this sweet tea-like fragrance.

"Shinra?" he questioned, seeing the doctor swallowing from the corner of his eyes. "Why do you have silver vine with you?"

An uncertain sounding laugh was his answer, before the smaller man took a step back from him.

Izaya was seemingly back in Kuro-mode, still stretching and wriggling his body on the floor, he even smeared his own drool all over the place.

"I… aaah…" Shinra began, while in the background soft mewling combined with a deep rumbling purr was heard. "I just thought I could mess a little bit with him?" It was more a question than a statement, making the man, capable of lifting vending machines up with ease, growl in response.

"Shinraaa…" he began, placing his hand on the floor, having the intention of pushing himself up soon. Thought he had the will of beating the shit out of his bespectacled friend he couldn't do it. Not because of something like being hit by guilty conscience for even thinking about it. No, rather more because he felt something raw and wet gliding over his hand.

Gazing down, his eyes widened. Izaya, no, Kuro was licking him! He was most definitely NOT aware of his actions right now, because Shizuo was more than sure that Izaya would never ever do something like this. Izaya would never rub his cheeks and chin against his hand, letting his nimble tongue glide over it, tracing his fingers with it… "STOP!" he mentally cursed.

He really had to stop imagining Izaya doing everything Kuro did. Sure they were one and the same, but thinking about the human version of Izaya doing this would only cause something he wouldn't even dare on getting while being shown affection by a cute little fur ball like Kuro was at the moment.

Widely shaking his head he tried to get rid of this image, but it was too late to prevent damage on his pride. An amused chuckle was heard.

"Shizuo?" Another chuckle. "Are you having a ha-" "SHUT UP!" The blonde's outburst shook the cat from its affectionate state, making him back away from the man he just showered with his love.

"Oh, shit! Ku- No, Izaya I'm sorry." he tried to apologize, but no reaction came from the dark kitten. Instead, he just padded around the lab coat wearing man's feet occasionally bumping his head against them. Shinra who had winced at his childhood friend's shout relaxed again. A weak laugh escaped his lips. "Haha Looks like Izaya is pretty high on silver vine now." Said ex-human was currently seated on his behind, front paws in the air while stretching his body; curiously looking at the medic, a string of excited mewls leaving his mouth.

Shizuo sighed. "Why's he even reacting to it in the first place?" he mumbled to himself, but still gaining the other human's attention.

"What do you mean?" the doctor asked. The fortissimo inched closer towards the kitten, stretching his hands out to catch it, but it just avoided his gentle grip. "Meow meowow." it chanted happily flopping down and making a roll over the floor again before standing up and jumping a few centimeters away from the two males.

You could see Shinra's face turn red from the laughter he had to hold back. Even Shizuo would have laughed at this, if it weren't for the fact that it was his own crush currently high on cat drugs.

Another sigh left his lips as he dragged a hand through his bleached locks.

"Well, usually kittens under eight months aren't affected by silver vine. Young kittens and pregnant females." he started to explain. "And Izaya looks like a three… four months at the most old kitten to me."

"Hmmm…" Gripping at his chin the doctor stood in a thoughtful pose. "Izaya's mental state is that of a young kitten indeed, but in reality he is human. So this could be the reason why it still has some effect on him. Or he could be just one of those cases. You know: The exception proves the rule."

Well, this actually made sense to Shizuo. "Or he could just be pregnant." the brunette added making him groan.

"Quit the lame assed jokes. Will ya'?!"

 **-o-o-o-o-**

Raising both his hands in defense he hopped it would somehow calm his friend down. He wouldn't want the couch or even worse, the fridge being thrown towards him… Or could it be that the couch was the worse option? In any case, it wasn't like as if Shinra wanted to find out the difference.

"So…" he began to prod in all caution. "Do you have any idea how long the effects will hold on?" he asked being all serious and concerned again. The fake blonde shrugged. "Usually between five or thirty minutes, depends on each cat." he answered while gold brown eyes watched a black kitten chasing its own shadow until it bumped head first against the wall. Both men cringed, though Kuro, since there was no way Izaya would act like this, just stood up again. Shaking his head he happily hopped on a pillow that was lying on the floor and began to knee it with his paws.

The two men stood in silence watching Kuro as he made himself comfortable and rolled up into a tiny hairy ball.

"Seems like he's getting tired." mused the physician. "Looks like it." Shizuo nodded. "Well?" he began again. "You gonna call Celty now?"

The brunette face palmed. He knew he had forgotten something.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

* * *

A/N: You guys know what? Today is "Pet me, Darling"s one year anniversary. A whole year, huh? Originally I had planned on finishing this fic on exactly this day, thought I seriously only found the time to update only once a month. There were only two exceptions. Early at the beginning of this story and with the last chappy. Well, don't you all worry. Me reminiscing about the past year doesn't mean the end of this story. No, there are still a few chapters before it's finished. So until the final is brought to you, continue to enjoy this.

I want to thank you all for reading this. Also for the reviews you all have left me. I also want to thank all of you guest reviewers, since I'm not able to just PM my thanks to you. Anyway, when I realized that I could write my thanks/replies to you in the author notes (like some other authors do) I thought it was kinda too late to just suddenly start with it and would probably make it awkward.

Please note that I'm still grateful to all the messages you wrote me.


	16. Chapter 16 - Urges

A/N: I'm so terribly sorry! Even thought I had mentioned that I would check chapter 15 for typos the upcoming day, since I was too tired on doing so the day it was published, I had totally forgotten about it. And so you had to bear with all those terrible typos I had made for a whole month. I'm so terrible sorry. I hope all of you who had suffered eye-seizures while reading through it can forgive me. Be assured that I checked over it and made corrections yesterday. So if I hadn't missed anything it should be A-okay now.

* * *

 **Chapter 16 – Urges**

After barely suppressing the urge to strangle his annoying childhood friend, said friend finally did what he was supposed to do seemingly ages ago. Calling his headless girlfriend that was currently out for a job, telling her about the situation and that the Irish fairy was supposed to come back immediately. After Shinra had ended his monologue and with it his call, it took those skilled fingers only a few seconds to write a reply. "Got it. Be there in half an hour." the message read. A vein started throbbing on the blonde's forehead. He really liked Celty. She was probably the second person in his life he had started calling his best friend, since he got to know Tom before her.

He just couldn't get it inside his head why coming over would take so long for her. Every second his secret or better said not-so-secret-anymore crush was stuck as a cat was probably a second nearer to losing his conscience, if what Shinra said was legit.

Shizuo was never someone with lots of patience. On the contrary, he had enough self-awareness to know the fact that patience wasn't a trait he possessed for even an ounce. He's been aware of this ever since childhood, ever since he deemed holding himself back as pointless.

So it isn't necessary to say, that it took Shinra some time to convince the hot headed man that even with Shooter being the best Cóiste Bodhar there is, teleportation still wasn't a skill the trusty steed was capable of. It was at this point that the doctor began drifting off topic again, wondering if there even was a being on earth capable of teleportation, which in turn made Shizuo's impatience grow stronger again.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

As an hour had passed ever since Shinra had contacted his future-wife without her showing up, Shinra mindlessly stroked the black felines back. Softly threading his fingers through the silk-like fur of the cat-turned info-broker, while said male was still in deep slumber. His gaze was locked onto Shizuo, who had started munching away the contents of a bag of chocolate chips not to long ago and already being nearly done with it. He probably would have stormed outside to grab a smoke if he weren't so worried for his love interest soundly sleeping away on a pillow. Sure he would never admit to being worried, just like he was still adamant on admitting that he actually was in love with the lithe man, but for Shinra the bodyguard's face was like an open book. Besides having the urge to have a cigarette, it was also plain to see that he was ready to throw something.

Ikebukuro's strongest surely didn't care what; he just had the unbearable urge to throw something. Destroy. Obliterate. Between the worry creased brows on the fortissimo's face, this was something that scared the doctor.

"What's taking Celty so long?" the doctor thought. "Maybe we should have already headed back home and met her there, instead of waiting for her to pick us up." Deep in thought, Shinra folded his hands before his chest. A silent groan was to be heard. It was Izaya alias Kuro who stretched himself in his sleep. He now lied on his side, front paws curled up before his eyes in a cute way as if to block out the light. The red collar with the bell that had "Kuro" written on it was clear to see from this new angle.

Wasting no time he took out his phone and snapped a photo of the sleeping kitten. After admiring the cute pet for a while he proceeded to set the picture up as the caller pic for the number saved as "Orihara Izaya". He would probably kill him if he ever got wind of this, but this was so totally worth it. Maybe he should send the picture to Shizuo later when everything had started to calm down again.

A rustle followed by an angry sounding grunt was to be heard from where the easily irritated man sat. Glancing over Shinra could see his fingers inching towards the couch table before him, the bag of chocolate chips laid empty and abandoned on the floor. He knew what would soon be happening. Shizuo would soon flip the table in anger, planting it inside the opposite wall. Hopefully. If not there soon would be a hole, making it unnecessary to open up a window to let fresh air inside the room.

Just before those deadly strong fingers could tighten to a wood splintering grip on the furniture the door bell rang, saving the innocent table's life from being extinct during a fit of rage.

" 'Bout fucking time." the fake blond mumbled as he rose from his sitting position stalking towards the entrance. Shinra had already jumped up, nearly falling over his own feet as he hurried to be the one greeting his beloved first.

Swinging the door open the glasses wearing male was met with his own reflection inside that cat styled helmet's visor.

"Celty!" he shouted with glee, throwing his hands up and jumping towards her. At the sight of her punching the doctor's abdomen Shizuo surely would have laughed if he wasn't just so unbearable pissed off right now.

"What took you so long?!" he asked her reminding himself not to lash out towards a friend. A black gloved hand rose up straight before her "face" as she bowed her head, having her look apologetic before she took out her phone typing something on it.

"I'm so sorry." she had written. "Traffic cops are so scary. And people say I'm the monster." was soon finished with shacking fingers. The underground doctor just rose again as he held out his arms in a wide manor.

"My lady!" he shouted. "Let me embrace you and chase away all your fe-HURGG!" Again he was punched by his fair lady. Cradling his body, Shinra turned into a heap on the floor once again.

"Anyway, can you please turn back Iz-" The Heiwajima cut off his sentence with a cough before finishing it with: "The flea?" Nodding her helmet forward was all the answer he needed from the Dullahan before Shizuo turned on his heels, leading her deeper inside his living quarters.

"Oi, Shinra. Stand up and shut the door, your blocking the entryway." he called over his shoulders towards the man that was still cradling his stomach that hurt from all the tsun-tsun love he had received just now.

Sighing, the brunette male slowly worked his arms under his torso, pushing himself into a crouch. Something moved in the corner of his eyes. Blinking he let his gaze wander outside into the hall that lead to Shizuo's apartment. There was nothing.

"Guess it was just my imagination." he mumbled before finally rising up and closing the door that was still left open.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

Celty had told, or rather said wrote to him, that they'd have to get kitten Flea, back to human Flea, so that she'd be able remerge soul and body back together. That was something he really appreciated about her. Unlike a certain medic he knew, the headless woman wasn't the type to over complicate an explanation. Celty always put them simple and came straight to the point. This behavior was one of the reasons he actually thought of her presence as a calming one, which also made it impossible for him to stay pissed of at her for too long. So it was no wonder he already forgave her for being late as they had reached the flea, only that he wasn't there anymore. The pillow he had slept on just seconds ago was empty. It even still felt warm as he gingerly touched the fabric with his fingers.

"Izaya?" he called out in question, hoping to get an answer. Nothing.

He rose up again. "Kuro?" he tried again. Still nothing.

Walking into the kitchen area, he spotted the bowls, but no cat eating or drinking the contents inside them. He turned around and walked into the hallway where the litter box was, he also found no cat here. The doors to the bathroom or his bedroom were both closed, so he could only be here, in the kitchen shared living room or…

"SHIT!" he cursed out rushing towards the entry way. Shinra had just walked back inside the living room when he nearly got run over by the blond.

"What's wrong, Shizuo?" he asked not expecting for his shoulders to be grabbed harshly. He was sure that tomorrow there will be bruises left.

"Did you see him?" Shizuo asked, confusing the bespectacled man. "Izaya! Did you see him?!"

The confusion still stuck to the brunette's face. Shizuo was about to let go of him, when he noticed a slight change in the expression Shinra had. His face grew from confusion to suspicion before it grew explicit pale.

He tightened his loosened grip again. "Shinra… Spit it." he threatened with a growl, making the doctor swallow in fear.

"I… er… Can you let me go beforehand?" "Shinra…" another growl made Celty butt in. Her shadows carefully releasing her fiancé from her best friend's hold.

"Thanks Celty." Shinra said while placing himself behind her. Swallowing another lump in his throat the doctor opened his mouth to speak again.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

* * *

A/N: Did you guys really think I would have it end that easy now? Haha Nope! No way XD

Well, next chapter will be online on November the 10th.


	17. Chapter 17 - Curiosity killed the cat

A/N: Seems like the next chapter was finished faster then I expected. Well, I don't think that any of you mind it being here faster… Or am I wrong?

* * *

 **Chapter 17 – Curiosity killed the cat**

As dream world's tight grip loosened up its hold on him, he slowly started to become aware of his surroundings. Still drowsy he kept his eyes closed, while trying to remember what happened before he fell asleep. He couldn't really remember. He was trying to attack… to attack…

Whom had he planned on attacking again? Maybe he was still too sleepy for the memory to catch up with him. He had the feeling that something happened after his failed attack but he just couldn't figure out what it was. Was the attack even failed?

By now he became aware of another presence. It felt warm and soothing as whatever it was combed through his fur, but suddenly whatever caused this feeling retracted it self from him. Collecting all his willpower he managed to open his eyes into tiny slits. The light that greeted him was too much so he closed them only soon after. Turning his feline body around, he pulled his paws over closed eyes.

This was so much better. The drowsiness came back and he could feel the hands of blissful sleep reaching towards him once again, thought a clear sound ringing in his ears chased them away.

More noises and shuffling were to be heard next and finally the kitten found the will and strength to open up its eyes once again. He had to blink a few times since the light still hurt after just waking up.

Yawning and stretching his lithe body he buried his claws inside the pillow beneath him.

He sat up straight and noticed that he was alone.

' _Time for a little grooming.'_ he mumbled still not fully awake. As he brought up a paw to lick it, a shrill yell sounding like someone calling "Celty" startled him.

Throwing his plans of fur care out of the window he carefully made his way towards the direction were he could make out several noises, signaling him that there may be something of interest to him.

Pressing his body against the wall he secretly glanced around the corner. There were three people, two of them he didn't recognize but the third he was delighted to see.

' _Shizuo! I have to tell him that I woke up so that he gives me his attention and maybe play with me.'_ he thought as he walked around the corner.

Out of nowhere the black figure with the flashy yellow and blue helmet punched the white guy into the stomach making him fall down. As fast as he could he hid under a commode that stood along the wall next to the door where the man that got punched currently laid. It just had enough space for him to squeeze under.

They scared him. He wanted to go up to Shizuo, rub his scent glands on the man's legs and mark him as his own again, but he was too scared of the two figures that were currently with the blonde. So instead he just listened in on their conversation. Shizuo was talking about a flea.

Kuro tilted his head. _'Flea? I don't have any fleas.'_ Just as he thought this, Shizuo and the black clad woman came towards him.

"Oi, Shinra. Stand up and shut the door, your blocking the entryway." he heard Shizuo say just as they both walked pass his hiding place.

Looking back towards the man that still resided on the floor, he noticed something new. There was an opening leading to another room. That meant something new to explore.

Excited and curious he crawled out from his hideout. At first he had planned on slowly approaching the doorway, but when the man beside him started to move he was so startled that he just blindly stormed into undiscovered territory and away as fast as his tiny feet could go.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

"I…" Shinra began to speak. "I think I saw something move outside on the hallways when I was about to stand up and close the door. Maybe…" The look on his childhood friend's face scared him. He was sure that once all this was over that he was in for some serious beating from Ikebukuro's strongest. "Maybe it was Izaya" he whispered the last part as Shizuo's face paled and screamed terror.

"No way." he began mumbling nearly whispering to himself. "No way!" He got louder. "NO! FUCKING! WAY!" he now shouted out in frustration gripping at his bleached locks.

"How do you think we turn him back now that he ran away?!" Shizuo barked at the doctor making him flinch. The headless beauty placed a hand on his left shoulder, trying to calm the blonde down that by now surely had no problems on chocking the life out of Shinra.

She held the display of his phone towards him, probably telling him that Izaya may still be close by.

"Yeah, you're right." came the blonde's reply before he roughly shoved the brown haired man aside. The couple followed him as he went outside to look for the missing cat slash former human.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

He was such an idiot. Really! Why was he so stupid as to run away from home so fast and also so far? As his feet carried him away from the scary man with the funny looking windows on his face he hadn't thought of memorizing his way. He faintly remembered running or better said nearly falling down several flights of stairs, before he somehow managed to find himself sitting on a sidewalk, pressing his body against the wall of the building he just came out of. The building was so big. He couldn't remember anymore behind which door his Shizuo was waiting for him to return.

What was he supposed to do now? It was dark outside; he could still see the faint glow of the setting sun behind a building. The few people passing by didn't notice him, that for he was grateful.

' _Maybe I should just wait for Shizuo to come look for me.'_ he whispered to calm himself. _'He'll come looking for me.'_ The thought alone gave him enough fate to just sit there and wait for his savior to come and fetch him.

At least he thought so. Just several seconds after deciding to just wait, a human accompanied by… by… He couldn't find any other word to describe this creature as "abomination". Yes, that was what it was. An abomination, he creature even hell spit out.

' _Please don't see me. Please don't see me.'_ he shivered as he eyed the creature coming closer and closer towards him. It seems that the gods weren't in the mood to grant the kitten's wish, as the "dog", as humans tend to call this horrible monster, set its eyes on him.

It was as if minutes had passed before the creature let out those horrifying barks. Spit flew out of the snout hat was filled with terrifying looking teethes. The monstrosity tried to haul itself at him. Not taking any notice of the line the held he dog away from him in a safe distance his legs just carried him away from the scene once again.

This time he didn't even faintly took notice of where he ran too or how many corners he rounded.

He just ran. Ran for dear life, ran for a place to hide, ran until his feet would finally give out on him. And wherever this place would be, it hopefully would be save enough to wait for Shizuo to find him and hold him close to his warm broad chest. He missed him. He knew it was his fault for giving in to his curiosity and running away, but he missed him dearly.

' _Please find me, Shizuo!'_ he shouted out while still running towards wherever his instincts lead him to.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

He wasn't anywhere in the hallway on his floor, also not on the floor below.

"Fuck!" he cursed. "How far away did he get?"

Shizuo, together with Celty and Shinra had searched every nook, every corner of the building. He even made the Dullahan and the underground doctor ring at every door and asking the residents if they have seen the black cat somewhere.

He met up with them on the floor his home was, only to learn that their search was without success.

"We should look outside. Maybe he got out somehow and is now hiding in the alley nearby." Celty suggested.

As soon as the trio reached the first floor they heard the bark of a dog. The debt-collector's stomach churned painfully at the foreboding that filled his mind. Quickening his steps he hurried outside, nearly running down the man walking his pet. The dog barked, still trying to free itself from its master's hold on him but not succeeding in the least.

"Oi!" he hollered at the man trying to calm down the riled up animal. The blonde's angry bark alone had made the dog freeze up in an instant and not only the dog.

"Hei- Heiwajima Shi- Shizuo?!" the poor man stuttered.

"Good." the fortissimo thought as he realized that his reputation would come in handy now.

"You saw a black kitten?" he demanded. His answer was a few hasty nods from the poor soul before him.

"Y-yes." the man's voice was shaking. "I-it ran t-that way a-and turned dwn the r-road l-left." He swallowed before stepping between Shizuo and the dog. "Please!" Suddenly the man emitted so much confidence. "If you want to hurt someone, hurt me and not Pochy! It's his nature, so please punish me for scaring your cat away!"

Not only Ikebukuro's most feared man, but also the headless rider and her fiancé were impressed by the man's strong will to protect his dog, apparently named "Pochy"

Swallowing his anxiety over Izaya's, or better said Kuro's safety, since he was sure that this was the current personality his crush had, he tried to calm down at least a little bit.

"Don't worry." he said his voice calm and collected. "I'm not one for animal abuse. But put on a muzzle next time you walk your dog." With this he ran down the direction the man had told him before, leaving him to sigh in relive as he crouched down and pulled Pochy into a hug.

Licking the man's face lovingly the dog whined as if worried for his master.

Watching the heart warming scene before here, the Irish fairy laced her finger together, holding her hands right under her helmet under her non-existing chin. The glasses wearing brunette beside her already knew what she would probably ask him in a few seconds.

"Can we get a dog ourselves?"

 **-o-o-o-o-**

* * *

A/N: When my sister still lived in an apartment she also had two cats. It also happened to her once that her cats ran out the door just as she arrived at home. She was lucky I was with her, so we were able to split up when one sprinted up the stars and the other down. Anyway…

Please don't hate me for having Kuro think so badly of dogs. But since Izaya doesn't like dogs and is also a cat now I think he would just think that way towards them.

I myself don't have anything against dogs. I don't know how to deal with them thought. My mum has a dog phobia so I never had the chance of getting to know them all that well. I only know how to deal with the pug a former colleague of mine has.

Also my four year old cat is damn scared of dogs since he was nearly eaten by a rottweiler when he was still a baby. My neighbor's sister saved him back then and since she had a dog herself and no family that seemed to miss his absence he found his way into my family.

Well, this was quite the long and random author's note here. Anyway, the next chapter is planned out for November the 10th at the latest.


	18. Chapter 18 - Still on the run

**Chapter 18 – Still on the run**

Facing this creature that even hell spit out again, this… dog… had scared Kuro for good. He couldn't have just stay there and wait for Shizuo to save him. No, this beast was hell bent on shredding him if he were to stay there, so he had no other choice but to run for dear life.

By the time Kuro lost count of how many times he turned left or right his paws felt like they would fall off any second now. Slowing down more and more he finally came to a stop just a few meters before the end of the alleyway he currently resided in. He flopped down on the cold cement floor beneath him, his body felt sore all over and his heart was still racing hard and heavy.

It took him a while to calm himself down, evening his breathing pattern so he wouldn't gasp for air anymore. Maybe resting wasn't such a good idea, because now he felt even more exhausted than before.

' _No.'_ he urged himself back on his feet. _'I can't stay here. I have to go back to Shizuo, back home.'_ he mumbled while shaky legs stumbled towards the alley's opening.

Ever since the encounter with the dog, it was the first he paid attention to his surroundings.

' _What is this?'_ he wondered. _'Where am I? This doesn't look anything like home.'_

The sun was already down, but there were still so many lights shining on. Lights in so many different shapes and colours. And people he didn't know walked pass him, luckily without noticing his presence since he still hid in the shadows.

Infernal noise penetrated his ears whenever one of those… What are those even?

Observing a human male going near one of those strange objects that weren't rolling by in the middle of the street, while making this horrifying sounds, he could see him opening what was apparently a door and sitting down inside _it_ before closing the door again. Several seconds after, the thing with the human now inside came to life and speeded off into the distance.

Blinking a few times he tilted his head. _'It looks like those things aren't that dangerous. Loud but not dangerous.'_ he mused taking one step out from hiding.

"Ha-Ha-Ha!" Stopping right where he was after hearing the sound of laughter, Kuro perched his ears up. He recognized the sound. He just didn't know from where, but he definitely knew it. Frantically searching for whatever made the sound that seemed so familiar he soon spotted two figures walking out of a building on the other side of the road. Two girls in fact. Their faces looked the same, but they were still distinguishable. One wore her hair in a braid. She also had the same strange thing on her nose that suspicious looking guy that lay on Shizuo's floor earlier had. The other just had short hair and a blank expression on her face.

"Isn't this amazing?! Look at this! It's super neat. Right? Right? It is, isn't it?" the overly excited girl with the braid shouted while waving something that looked like a magazine around. "We should skip school more often. Maybe we can get Shizuo-san to schedule a meeting with his lovely brother next time. Don't you think so too, Kuru-nee?"

She had stopped in order to shake the girl called Kuru-nee and got pinched in the cheeks.

"Ouch! Ouch! Kufu-nee! It hufts. Hufts. Pwease let gooo:" the braided girl groaned in pain. The other one said, no, mumbled something in return, but she was too silent for Kuro to pick up her words, while the other was definitely too loud, for him to be able to pick up everything she said while their surroundings being just as noisy themselves.

Still, somehow he felt nostalgic seeing those two and Shizuo wasn't around. So why not go to them to wait for him to be found by the blonde man?

Decision made, he walked straight towards them. Hopping down from the sidewalk, the only thing left to do was crossing the road. Easy.

Thought… Half way through a sudden screech from the side shocked him so much he froze up again. Turning his head to the left, he noticed blinding lights heading his way.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

Running into the direction the man from earlier so shakily had pointed him towards, he was soon met with one of Ikebukuro's many alleys.

"Damnit." Shizuo gritted his teeth. He was very familiar with this narrow backstreet. For once because he lived nearby and also for the fact that he chased Izaya down this street several times in the past. It was one of those alleys that usually ended their chases, since in case the informant would be fast enough, the ex-bartender would lose him in here since there where three branches to change direction just up ahead.

For the blonde it was a neat short-cut to and from work at some days while for the raven haired man it was a convenient little "maze" to lose his pursuer when he had enough of being chased for the day. One of those was a dead end, but there was a fire-escape ladder, easy to get to for anyone able to do some parkour. He wouldn't put it aside the smaller man to climb it and jump from roof to roof just to escape him.

"Shizuo~!" the man whose name was just being called in this overexcited voice gritted his teeth. Couldn't Shinra be serious just for once in his life?

Punching that dumpster that stood just a few steps ahead from him sounded more and more relieving.

"Wait for us!" Or maybe he should just punch the current object of his irritation, but before he could act on his urge a phone was shoved into his view.

" _Have you found him?"_ it asked. A shake of his head in denial was all the answer the headless woman got from him. Reaching into his right pocket to grab his pack of cigarettes he froze when he found the pocket empty. Ghosting his hand over the one on the other side, it revealed to be just the same.

"Fuck." the foul-mouthed blonde anger issue cursed. While he always had a pack of cigarettes with him while wearing one of the bartender get-ups he got from his brother, when wearing casual on his days off he usually had them lying on a counter in his apartment since he tend to stay there most of the time.

Heiwajima Shizuo was more the type who enjoyed staying inside his own four walls when not having to be at work. Not because he didn't like going outside, no, more because he just wouldn't want to risk losing his temper and running havoc… again. He longed for nothing more than peace, after all… Well, maybe the longing for being near his crush was stronger than his desire for peace, but it was still close… and it wasn't like he would admit it even thought by now it seemed that everyone around him knew the truth anyway.

Shaking his head he tried to concentrate on the matter at hand again. Seriously! How could reminding himself that he forgot to grab his cigarettes in his haste to find the flea, lead him to reminisces on how much more he preferred that shady-bastard-louse's presence over days lived in piece and quiet?

He really had it bad for the info-broker.

"E~arth to Shi~zuo~" Hearing that sing-song the urge to strangle someone chased his thoughts away. Maybe he should squeeze Shinra as some kind of thank you. Around his neck. With his bare hands.

Yes, that defiantly sounded like a good idea. IF… it weren't for his best friend, who by some incomprehensible coincidence was in love with this specs wearing pervert, standing right beside them.

Taking a deep breath in, holding it for a second and leaving it out again, he tried to calm down. Tried, it worked only little on him.

"What?!" he said more calm but still snappy enough for Shinra to back away a step.

"I said… Maybe we should split up and when we find him, we call the others. Is that okay?" the brunette male spoke with a nervous smile.

" _It sounds like a good plan to me. That way we'll find him way faster."_ now gleamed from a phone display.

The doctor was about to fawn over his beloved's support when shadows wrapped themselves around his mouth rendering him silenced. A stern "look" from her told him to shut up as to not push their friend over the edge… again.

Thinking over the pervert's idea, Shizuo had to admit that he was right so he agreed to it. They would find Izaya faster that way, and fast they had to be. Who knew how long it would take for "Izaya" to be lost and turn into "Kuro" entirely. By the way… He forgot to ask Shinra what would happen in case this happened. Would Izaya be himself again once Celty turned him back? Could she even turn him back once this point was crossed?

Then again… Shinra mentioned that he hadn't researched this thoroughly beforehand and only went by on assumptions in Izaya's case.

It made him feel sick to his stomach. He wished nothing more for the flea to turn back into his lousy self. He didn't care about what Izaya would feel towards him, especially now that he had revealed his true feelings towards the black haired man without a care in the world. He just… He just wants him back.

After half an hour of searching, he somehow found himself on a sidewalk several streets away from his apartment block. He had found nothing. Nothing at all.

Sighing, Ikebukuro's strongest pulled out his phone in order to dial up his childhood friend.

It didn't take long for the lab-coat clad man to pick up. "Hey, Shizuo. Found anything?" From the man's question he knew immediately that the black cat wasn't found. There was still Celty searching, thought.

"Celty is here with me, since her route was a dead end. Izaya wasn't there either." And with this the brunette crushed his last hope.

"Nope, nothing." he finally answered voice sounding several defeated. "We should meet up again." he heard Shinra suggest, but before he could answer, the conversation of two passer-bys interrupted him.

Standing there frozen in place those words echoed through his mind over and over again.

" _I still can't get that picture out of my head. Seeing that car going straight at that black kitten reminded me too much of my own cat."_

" _Ah, you mean the one that got run over last year?"_

" _Yeah, it wasn't a pretty sight. I could still cry thinking back on it."_

" _Yeah, although this wasn't a pretty sight either."_

 **-o-o-o-o-**

* * *

A/N: *sigh* Cats and cars aren't a good combination. I once had a cat who wasn't the least bit scared of cars. He had always made himself comfortable right in the middle of the street, even thought I always scolded him for it. It's a street where not many cars pass by, but still. The drivers always where nice enough to stop their cars and wait for him to slowly get up and sit down on the sidewalk. Well… all but one. One wasn't nice enough to stop his car and just drove him over. The neighbor who witnessed this told me that this *beep* even speed up his car. If I ever come face to face with that *beep* I can't guarantee for what will happen.

Sure accidents can happen but only scum drives its car over an animal on purpose.

Haaaaa! Sorry, for making such a dark mood just now.


	19. Chapter 19 - Hard shell, soft core

A/N: The next chappy is here^^ I hope you'll forgive me for still not having had the time to check it over for typos… as well as the chapter from last time… *sigh* I hope I'll soon have the time to check all chappies over for typos. Anyway, I should stop now with my bla-bla.

Please enjoy.

* * *

 **Chapter 19 – Hard shell, soft core**

Standing outside to cool down from his training, was none other than Sharaku Eijiro, second son of Rakuei gym's owner. He enjoyed moments like these. Just watching the clouds pass by and the sky changing colors. It wasn't anything like meditating under a waterfall, like he already did a few times during his training in some mountain region, but to him it was still the closest thing he could get in this city.

While he stood there collecting his thoughts, the Orihara twins walked outside the gym. The short haired one nodded towards him while the other cheerfully waved at him. "Bye bye Eijiro-san." she said before pulling out a magazine out of her schoolbag and began to laugh wholeheartedly chatting away while the older sister only nodded or gave short silently spoken answers.

Watching them heading home, the brown haired man scratched his short beard while frowning a bit.

He had nothing against them. Mairu and Kururi were both cheerful, nice girls, thought one showed her cheerful attitude more than the other.

Anyway, what casted a frown to his face was thinking of the twins older brother.

Scowling at the lithe man's face that had flashed through his memories, the seasoned Martial Arts teacher wished for nothing more than punching that red eyed demon's face in.

It was that man's fault his beloved little sister had to drop out of high school. He knew that Mikage had a crush on that guy and he had taken advantage of her. It was that fucking Orihara Izaya's fault that the tomboyish girl had no other choice but to take over the family's business.

Gritting his teeth his eyes wandered back onto the sky. He let a deep sigh escape his lips before he glanced back onto the street again. He was ready to head back into the gym again, when movement caught his attention. A black cat, no, it looked more like a young kitten, just hopped down the sidewalk and onto the street.

Panic rouse up inside his stomach. Quickly glancing to the left, he saw no car heading towards the kitten that was slowly approaching his side of the street, but glancing to the right he saw what he wished wasn't there. A car heading straight towards the silly little thing that had no clue in what kind of danger it had put itself into.

His body reacted on its own. Racing down the few steps of the gym, he rushed onto the street towards the small animal.

Tires screeched over the asphalt when the driver noticed the madman sprinting onto the street. The kitten froze up from the sound and looked at its still approaching doom.

It was only due to his training in Martial Arts that he managed on catching the little fluff ball and rolled away with it safely tucked to his chest without getting them both rolled over.

As his momentum stopped, he slowly sat up, glancing down at what he just saved. Shivering in his arms was the black furred kitten looking up at him. Red, glassy looking eyes blinked a few times, the feline's pupils blown wide as it still couldn't stop shaking.

Smiling sympathetically down at the cute thing he reached towards that little head with his right hand, slowly scratching behind those soft ears.

"Everything's all right, lil' one. You're all safe now with onii-chan at your side, protecting you from those big bad cars." he cued not caring the least if he just destroyed his manly looking image. It was only known to his family that he had a huge soft spot for cute little animals and his little sister of course.

His attention was all over the scared cat safely pressed against him, so he hadn't noticed his beloved little sister, Mikage running out of the gym, or the Orihara twins who witnessed what happened just now.

"Oh! A kitten! How cute. Can we hold it? Can we? Can we? Can we?" the younger twin was the first who spoke up, before the older one pinched her check mumbling a silent: "Please?"

He nodded as he handed the kitten that seemed to have calmed down a bit, towards the outstretched hands of the hyper twin.

"Aw! It's so soft and tiny and warm. And… Awww! I think it likes me. It just started to purr." the glasses wearing girl spoke without catching air between her words. "Male." the short haired twin said as they caught sight of the kitten's sex due to Mairu now holding it like a baby.

"Oi, you okay?" Mikage asked him, offering her right hand. "Yeah." he said as his sister's left hand reached for his upper arm, right before she threw him over her shoulder so he landed face first on the street again. "You fucking idiot! What do you think your doing, huh?!" she began scolding him, before a well aimed kick sent her big brother to kiss the floor again.

"I-is e-everyone al-alright?" the driver who left his car asked seemingly scared. Oh what a mistake this was.

"You!" the brown haired girl said, her voice seething with anger. "Y-YES!?" the man squeaked straightening up. "Watch where you're driving! What if it was a child running onto the street and not that stupid bullhead?!"

"Oi, Mi-" "Shut up!" the girl with the short locks interrupted her brother. "But there was a little ki-" "Shut your mouth and apologize for being an idiot and running in front of cars like the idiot you are!"

It really wasn't a pretty sight, as the masculine build girl scolded two grown-up men right in the middle of the street for everyone to see and witness. She even had them kneel down in seiza while she scolded them.

At least the black kitten, who was the cause of all this commotion, was safely cradled by two teenage twin girls.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

"Hey!" Ikebukuro's fortissimo shouted after the two women who just walked past him. He just couldn't believe that Kuro, no, that Izaya, was run over by a car. He couldn't believe it, not until he saw it with his own eyes or heard the whole story. Not just bits and pieces. He had to talk to those women.

Startled from the shout they turned around. Both seemed to be in their middle thirties. One of them widened her eyes in realization of who it was who had called after them and was now standing right before her, while the other just raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, can we help you?" the one who apparently wasn't aware of to whom she was speaking now said.

"You just talked about a kitten. How did it look like? What happened and can you tell me where it was?" he asked dread filling his guts.

"How about saying 'please' if you ask someone a question? My, how rude." came the answer. It seems the woman wasn't from around here, or she just couldn't make out that it was Heiwajima Shizuo standing in front of her, since the brawling puppet of Ikebukuro wasn't wearing his usual get-up.

Her friend swallowed hard. "N-ne, t-that i-" "Buuut since you're so desperate to know…" the woman continued not noticing her friend was about to say something. "It was just around that corner over there." She pointed into the direction she was talking about.

"There's that gym or whatever it was, right in front of it there was this black kitten running across the street, right in front of a car."

Now it was Shizuo's turn to swallow a lump in his throat, all anger he might hae felt over the other's attitude forgotten.

"Was that your kitten?" she now asked while flicking back some of her straight black hair.

"W-Was?!" Shizuo thought, still not wanting to accept what he might hear soon.

"It's my… friend's cat." he started to say, not knowing as "what" he should describe the man he's crushing over and who's currently running around as a clueless kitten.

"He's black, has red-brownish eyes, a red collar with a go-" "Stop!" the black haired said, while the other grew pale and took a step back now. "I haven't seen the cat THAT close. Just go to that gym and ask the people there. Some macho dude saved the kitten and they brought it in there."

Hearing that Izaya was saved, was all he needed to feel relive wash over his bones. Beaming a smile at them, he thanked the two and turned around towards the direction the woman had pointed him to earlier.

"Tse! You really have some strange folks running around here in the city." said the one who unknowingly had a conversation with the most dangerous man around here. Turning her attention back to her friend she had to blink a few times. "Huh? Why are you blushing? … Ooooh! Don't tell me you have the hots for this guy? Well, smiling he had definitely looked cute. Anyway, I'm still hungry. Let's grab some food." she spoke while grinning widely, pulling her friend along with her

 **-o-o-o-o-**

His childhood friend seemed to have forgotten he was still on the phone, so it was no wonder the unlicensed doctor had heard the whole conversation. He had to laugh a few times, since he found it funny that there was someone who dared calling the ex-bartender rude to his face. Anyway, as he heard them talking about a gym, he knew of only one that was in the area Shizuo went too and so he had his beloved Celty drive to their next destination. They just reached it in time with a certain blonde haired male.

"Hey." he said. "How'd you know where to go?" the blonde asked. "Oh, you had me still on the phone so I heard everything." the brunette said grinning just like usual.

"Anyway, ready to get Kuro-chan back?" he asked.

"If you're ready to get punched once he's back to being the flea?"

Shinra's smile turned into a forced one as the two men walked up to the gym's entrance as the headless fairy waited outside with her Coiste Bodhar.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

* * *

A/N: I'm pretty mean. I'm sending Shizuo on a chase like some character in an RPG. Like: Go there and you'll find this, only to go there and having to complete some quest that sends you elsewhere in order to get the certain item you're after.

Anyway… If Shizuo finally gets his crush back or not… I'll tell you next chapter, which will be due on January the 10th.


	20. Chapter 20 - This RPGs main character

A/N: Hi there. I'm here again with an update. Have fun with it.

* * *

 **Chapter 20 – This RPGs main character left his broken umbrella behind so the troublesome princess just took it**

After the brown headed girl had scolded her much taller and more masculine brother in public, she had dragged the man inside the gym. The Orihara twins, who were still caring for the purring black ball of fluff, followed after them.

At this time of day there weren't many other people inside the gym, the few that were, did self-practice or work-outs. Staying in the entrance area, the twins sat down on one of the banks which stood there. Kururi, who had switched with Mairu holding the kitten earlier and was now cradling it in her arms, placed it down between herself and her other half.

Letting out a yawn, the feline rubbed its head against her tight before getting comfortable and watching its surroundings with tired looking red eyes.

"He's so cute. I think I'll keep him." Eijiro said scratching his chin beard. He was about to crouch down before the cat when his sister kicked him to the side.

"No!" she demanded. "Our old man said to not let you bring home anymore strays! Besides…" Mikage pointed at the cat's neck. "It has a collar, so it already has an owner."

"Kuro." mumbled the quiet teen as she flicked the bell on said collar with her finger, indicating that the words engraved onto the metal were the kitten's name.

"I bet the owner is missing him, by now. Should we search for them? Should we? Maybe we can find them if we go outside and shout 'Kuro! Kuro!' all over the place. That will get their attention." the girl with the glasses, chattered away.

The martial artist frowned. "Fine, but until we find them I'm taking care of him." he said before another kick knocked him down. A stern "No." followed the action.

Rubbing his side he sat up and reached for the kitten. Holding him up towards his little sister he argued: "But he's so cute and look at those pretty eyes. I've never seen such beautiful eyes before!"

The other three leaned over staring at the kitten's eyes which now stared back brightly and with a hint of curiosity.

"Iza-nii." Kururi said. Mairu nodded her head wildly. "Yep, definitely reminds me of Iza-nii's eyes. Same color."

"They are right." the youngest of the Sharaku family agreed. Tilting his head to the side cutely, Kuro let out a mewl.

"WHAT?! No!" the man shouted making Kuro cringe in fear, which earned him a kick to the face as his little sister snatched the cat out of his hold. She handed the black cat to Mairu who held him close and gently squeezed the soft paws, playing with them.

Sitting up once again, Eijiro mumbled angrily under his breath. "That…" he frowned. He wouldn't want to insult the twins' brother in their presence, not remembering he did so before on many other occasions.

"That guy…" he began anew. "Could never have such pretty eyes. Cute, little, innocent Kuro should never be compared to that asshole!" he scowled not noticing that he once again talked bad about the older Orihara while being in the presence of said man's little sisters.

"Just look at him!" The man pointed towards the cat, which now was lying on Kururi's lap while licking and nibbling on Mairu's outstretched pointer finger. "Those are the eyes of someone who has a pure heart and soul."

Oh, if he just knew who the cat he so adored really was.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

Pushing the door open to Rakuei Gym, the place where he would finally get his flea back, Shizuo waited for Shinra to enter first, before following up close. Glancing around, he soon spotted to figures only a few meters away from them. One was a masculine woman with her back turned towards them and the other was lying on the floor in a heap of himself.

"Is he alright?" the doctor asked in a too cheerful tone.

The woman turned towards them, her short hair bouncing up and down in a wild mess. She frowned as she saw the tow men.

"Oi, aren't you Kishitani and Heiwajima? From all the people back in Raijin, I would have never thought that the two of you would ever enter a gym. What'cha doing here?" she asked, making the blonde man frown in return.

She knew their names and had mentioned their high school, so he came to the conclusion she went there with them, but he still couldn't come up with a name.

"Mikage-san! Or should I call you Sharaku-san now? It's been a long time. You look healthy as always. How you've been?" the glasses wearing man asked smiling brightly. By now, the man who lay on the floor before was slowly getting up to stand before them.

"You know my little sister?" his hoarse voice asked. Shizuo wondered what had happened to this man who looked quite strong.

The lab coat wearing male was about to open his mouth, telling the man who seemed to be that woman's big brother who they were, but got interrupted by the tomboy.

"Yeah, long story, but not important right now. What do you want?"

It seemed as if she wasn't too fond of talking about high school in front of her brother, making the bodyguard wonder even more why he should know her.

"Ah yes! We're here because we heard you guys saved a kitten. You see, that kitten is our friend." the medic said, giving Shizuo the urge to face palm before he quickly added: "Friend's cat. Kuro's our friend's cat. We're helping him search for the lil' flea." The last sentence was muttered, while he glanced downwards.

"Damn it!" he heard the muscled up male curse under his breath; his voice seemed to be better now. The short haired girl glanced at her brother. "Do I have to kick you again where it REALLY hurts?" her tone was threatening as her brother's answer was holding both hands before his crotch and widely shaking his head telling her "No".

"Oh! So that's why he was lying there. Poor guy." the blonde thought feeling sorry for that man. But then… He probably brought this upon himself anyway.

Nodding to himself he could hear the smaller brunette beside him snicker silently.

Sharaku Mikage, that was the name Shizuo had caught on as his childhood friend greeted her earlier, now turned her attention back to them.

"Well, tough luck, boys. The little guy just left a few minutes before you showed up." she said crushing the blonde man's hopes.

"Don't look at me like that. We have no place for the kitty here so until its owner shows up we thought we have someone else look after it."

Shizuo could feel slight anger bubble up inside him. Sure he understood that girl's reason for giving Izaya/Kuro away, but she could have at least waited for them to come pick him up, right?

It was frustrating. He felt like the main character of some RPG he had played with Kasuka back in their teenage years. The hero had to run around from one place to another and back countless times just to safe some fucking princess who had managed to piss of the wrong people.

The worst part of all this, was that he most likely wouldn't get his happily ever after with the "princess" once he saved him.

The best possible outcome would be that everything would get back to the way it was, even thought he didn't know if he himself could go back to those times. The worst possible outcome… He had started to growl while thinking of that.

Sensing his friend's inner turmoil the doctor quickly asked Mikage to whom they gave the black cat. "Oh, you know them pretty well." she answered.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

 _A couple of minutes before…_

"Since I'm not allowed to watch over this cutie…" Eijiro said nuzzling his nose with that of the black cat, making it sneeze. "What're we gonna do with him?"

The four of them thought about this, before the cheerful twin rudely interrupted the silence they were in. "We could take him in. We still live in our family's house. Mom and dad are over seas now, so he wouldn't bother them. Oh, and we know how to care for cats, so no worry here. Iza-nii once picked one up on his way home from school." The silent twin nodded. "Spikey." Kururi said while a smile tuck on the corners of her mouth.

She fondly remembered the white and red kitten that was tucked inside her big brother's jacket as he stood in their home's doorway. He was carefully folding a slightly bent umbrella, even thought he had left the house without taking one with him. Her questioning look he answered laughing quite amused by the memory.

"A delinquent left it this morning so this one-" he said referring now to the cat. "- wouldn't get wet when it rains. Since he's not allowed to have animals at home and it also looked like he wouldn't need this-" he said putting away the awkward looking umbrella. "I just took both with me."

The siblings dubbed the cat "Spikey" and they had kept him for a whole of two months. That was when their mother came home from her business trip and told them they couldn't kept it, since their father's allergic to cats. So they had to get rid of Spikey. Luckily their grandparents took the cat in, who now is a fat, lazy bum who lies around on the veranda all day.

"KU~RU~NEE!" the quiet twin heard her other half call while being shaken by her. "Wakey~ wake-OUCH! Kufu-nee! Dabt hufts! Quib pinffing my pfeeps!" Mairu pleaded for mercy before the older twin let go of the cheeks she was pinching.

The martial artist reluctantly handed the girl a basket, where he had placed the kitten inside so they could take him home without difficulties.

Mairu took the basket from her sister and happily skipped out of the gym as Kururi turned around nodding at the trainers in a gesture of saying "Goodbye."

"If we can't find the owner I'll take Kuro in." Eijiro mumbled loud enough for her to hear, before his little sister kicked his lower regions.

Turning around she followed after her sister and together they walked into the direction of their home once again.

Just as they rounded a corner, the hallowing neigh of a horse was heard in the distance.

This truly had been an exciting day up until now.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

* * *

A/N: Thinking of a title for the chapters is sometimes easy and sometimes really hard. This one came easy to me. It was the first thing that popped up inside my head.

Also I will change a few of the chapter titles… Maybe, I don't know yet. Let's see with what I come up.

Oh, and I still haven't had the time to properly check this and the other chapters for typos. Every time I plan to there comes something in between. I really hope that I'll be able to do so the upcoming weekend. Please bear with me until then. Late night is just the time my brain is the most creative, probably the reason why I never get enough sleep.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this. I'll update again on February the 10th.


	21. Chapter 21 - Reunion

A/N: Next chappy is here. Once again I have to apologize for I still wasn't able to check this or the former chapters for typos. Well, I hope I'll be finally able to do so next week. Well, that being said, I hope you still enjoy this chapter.

* * *

 **Chapter 21 – Reunion**

" _Where's Izaya?"_ questioned thedisplay of the phone that was nearly thrust into his face. Shizuo's answer was a growl as he tried to suppress the urge to smoke. Mumbling under his breath on how stupid he was for forgetting his cigarettes at home, he let Shinra do the explaining.

"Well, you see, my lovely Celty, it seems like we just missed him." the underground doctor said while laughing as if he had no care in the world. The Dullahan tilted her head before typing on her phone again.

" _What do you mean?"_ she asked. "The twins took him home, so now we have to get there and pick him up." the blonde man said, his voice on the edge of frustration. "I swear, Shinra… When this is over I'll beat you up." was soon added, making the brown haired male swallow in fear.

"How about I relief you of the debt you have with me for all the times I stitched you up again?" The offer his childhood friend made had Shizuo thinking for a bit.

"Deal." he said holding his hand towards the doctor to shake hands on it. Though, as Shinra took it, he smirked. "And I only flick you on the forehead."

The color seemingly left the betrothed man at the new addition to the deal he just made. Remembering the last time he got flicked on the forehead he already could feel the pain blossom up.

Oh, well. At least this would be better then getting beat up for it.

" _So?"_ the light up display screamed for attention from the two men. _"What are we going to do now? I know where the Orihara household is, shall I go get Kuro?"_

The headless woman had already shown her PDA to the others when she realized her mistake. Quickly she drew it back.

" _I'm sorry. I shouldn't get used to 'Kuro'. Shall I pick up Izaya?"_

Her fiancé laughed. He knew how much trouble he was in, especially once this is over, but he still enjoyed playing with the cat turned informant and teasing him in every way he had gotten the chance to.

"Yes." Shinra answered. "Take Shizuo with you. I'll go home and prepare everything so we can return him to his body."

Gold-brown eyes frowned. "What do you have to prepare? I thought Celty's gonna do all the work?"

Shinra let out a shaky laugh. "Yeah, I'm just checking on his body's vitals and all. He DID gain a mild concussion before his soul was dragged out of his body and turned into a cat." Those words had Shizuo furrow his brows in anger. Not at Shinra, but at himself. Sure, it wasn't his intention, but he had actually managed to hurt Izaya during their last chase.

Gripping at his hair in anger he just hoped that Izaya won't hate him even more after finally waking up as his human-self again. He knew how crazy this might sound, but he was actually happy that the flea's hatred towards him wasn't the kind of where he would be just blatantly ignored. Sure, Izaya hated him with every fiber of his being for being the monster, both Izaya and sometimes even Shizuo himself believed he was, but he had at least the black haired man's attention.

He feared nothing more than Izaya one day stopping their dynamic and just not giving a damn about him anymore. Izaya was the only one not afraid of him. Sure, Kasuka also doesn't seem scared of him, but that's an entirely different matter. Kasuka is his little brother, he's family so him not being afraid of 'Bukuro's brawling puppet doesn't count.

Izaya not loving him back was hard enough, but bearable, at least that's what Shizuo's told himself for years now. Not being able to run after that beautiful slender figure with the shiny black locks, due to the informant starting to fear him would be the worst possible outcome.

Freezing the blonde stopped mid thought.

"Wait." he thought. "Didn't Izaya start to forget things? Didn't he… Start to lose his memories?"

His eyes widened at what he just remembered now. If the flea would just entirely forget the times they had with each other, would that be a good thing? Or worse? It could mean a new beginning… "No!" He scolded himself in his mind. "I don't want the flea to forget about me. I want him to remember me, and maybe someday… No! Just… No."

Groaning out loud he ruffled up his hair with both hands.

"I just want him to remember me. I want to confess to him and hope that this will change SOMETHING between us. Or that it at least gets back to how it always was between us after he rejects me for being a 'monster'." Having come to a conclusion the blond man nodded to himself before he turned his attention back to the couple that was with him… Only that it was only Celty and her trusty horse-bike.

"Huh? Where's glasses?" he asked the Irish fairy who immediately began to type her answer.

" _He's gone ahead while you where deep in thought."_ stood on the screen, before Celty pulled the device back to type something new on it.

" _I don't know what you were thinking about, but don't worry so much. We don't know how all this will turn out, the best action for us would be to just wait, let things happen and then think of something together. I won't let you deal with everything alone, I promise."_

The fake blonde smiled. "Thank you, Celty. I appreciate it."

The courier just nodded before she made a helmet out of shadow for her friend and handed it to him.

Taking it he settled down behind her on Shooter and they were soon on their way to pick up the informant slash cat.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

On their way home the Orihara twins had shared the duty on carrying the basket, which held a certain black furred kitten inside, with each other. They both held onto it, each with one hand as they carried it in their middle.

At the beginning Kuro had seemed calm and collected, but as soon as the traffic noise picked up the cat seemed to press himself against the basket and shivered lightly in fear. There was no need to speak out the words aloud as the twins always knew what the other thought, since they were both one mind and soul split into two bodies. They both hurried on their way home so the poor scared kitten would soon feel safe again.

They turned around the last corner on the way home, as they noticed someone standing outside their home. They stood directly under a streetlight so the twins recognized them immediately.

"Shi~zu~o~saaaaan!" Mairu sang loudly waving at the man with her free hand. "Black Biker-san!" she also greeted urban legend.

"Took you long enough to get home. We're waiting here for five minutes now!" the blonde man grumbled seemingly annoyed for whatever reason the wins couldn't comprehend.

"What's wrong? What's wrong, Shizuo-san? Why so pissed off? You finally decided to introduce us to Yuuhei-san?" Mairu started another round of hyper talking. Before she could continue saying more Celty held her PDA towards the two identical girls.

" _I'm sorry for ambushing you like that, but you see the cat you picked up…"_ The fairy drew the phone back taking a second to think of what to write next.

" _It belongs to a friend of Shizuo and he's currently looking after the little guy, but he managed to escape from the apartment so we where searching everywhere for him. That's also the reason why Shizuo's not in a good mood."_

"I see." the short haired twin, Kururi said while now reaching for the basket with her free hand to hold onto, since her younger twin was about to let go.

"What?!" Mairu exclaimed in disappointment. "Awww! I wanted to play with Kuro-nii for a while." At this the bodyguard chocked on nothing while the headless woman had trouble catching her phone again as it slipped through her fingers.

The blonde was the first to find the right words or in his case, word. "What?!"

The silent twin nodded. "Iza-nii." she said as if this would explain everything. The blonde haired man's eyes met their own reflection as he glanced at the black visor of his friend's helmet. Both thinking the same thing. "Did they know?"

Before any of them could question the two youngest Oriharas the braided haired girl spoke up again.

"Yes, Kururi is right. Kuro-nii has the same eyes as Iza-nii and the fur is the same color as big brother's hair as well, so I'm calling him Kuro-nii." The two adults relaxed again.

"Ne, Shizuo-san?" the hyper one started again. "Don't you think that Iza-nii acts more like a feisty kitten than a flea? Maybe you should call him 'Kitty' or 'Kitten'." the girl talked so fast that Shizuo wondered when she would stop to take in some needed air.

"In case you ever confess to him you should get him a collar, he would look sooo cute and-" "WHAT?!" the blonde's outburst interrupted the girl mid-speech which made her pout.

"Its obvious." the silent one revealed, resulting in her sister wildly nodding her head. "It totally is. Well, maybe not for Iza-nii, since he's so blinded by his fake love for humans to even notice your feelings buuut it is obvious."

Sighing in defeat, Shizuo's buried his blushing face in his hand. It was official now. By now he was sure that everyone in Ikebukuro knew about his attraction towards Izaya. Or at least those who knew him as more than just a hot headed dangerous beast randomly throwing things around.

If Kadota for example, would come up to him now telling him that he and his gang had a bet running on how long it would take for the Heiwajima to man-up and confess, he wouldn't be surprised anymore.

Suddenly the words Mairu had said just know registered themselves in his mind.

Izaya was too blinded by his fake love for humans to notice his feelings of true love? If this was true, than it wasn't so any longer. He had mindlessly talked about his feelings in the presence of none other than his crush himself. Sure he wasn't aware at the time, but by now Izaya knew. And again the question of what Izaya truly felt for him came up.

He groaned feeling a headache form thanks to this seemingly endless spiral of tortures thoughts that came up, disappeared and came up again, ever since he learned who Kuro really was.

Lifting his head out of his palms, he craned his head to catch sight of the huddled black lump inside the basket. The most beautiful set of brown slightly red looking eyes his gaze had ever met looked back at him.

Izaya, or was he Kuro now? … The feline just stared at him, not making any sound.

Was he back to being Izaya now? Or was Izaya lost for good now and there was only Kuro who now also held no recognition of him too? How far would this memory loss that Shinra had explained to him go?

There was only one way to find out.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

* * *

A/N: Next chapter will be due on March the 10th. See ya^^


	22. Chapter 22 - Little ball of fur

A/N: And again I haven't found the time to check the previous chapters out for typos. I'm sorry, for that, but at least I walked through my one-shots and I hope I didn't miss any typo. Well,… Whatever^^

* * *

 **Chapter 22 – Little ball of fur**

Reaching into the basket the short-haired girl held in her hands, the blonde man's hand hovered in front the black kittens face. Curious the dark feline began sniffing the hand, tickling the finger with its whiskers in the process.

A fond smile played on Shizuo's lips as he watched Kuro recognizing his smell before bumping his head against his still outstretched hand in affection.

"Awww! So cute. He seems to like you." Mairu coed.

Now reaching towards the cat with both hands, the blonde lifted him out and up to his chest.

"You had me worried, you know?" the bodyguard chuckled stocking over the soft fur on Kuro's back. He could feel the rumble going through the kitten's body as it began to purr in his hold.

A picture of Izaya's body pressed flush against his own, while arms locked behind his neck and face rubbing against Shizuo's chest, flashed through his mind. Blood shot into his face as he shook his head.

"Er- Celty?" he asked his tone quite helpless. The headless one reacted immediately by casting her shadows to form a cat transport box for the little runaway. it would be much safer carrying him home on her bike than while having him inside the basket the Orihara twins had.

Placing the still purring cat inside the pitch black box, a relived sigh left the bleached haired man's lips. Finally the scavenger hunt found its end and he'd soon have his beloved flea back. As crazy as this may sound… Hopefully with his annoying wanna-be-god like attitude still in tact.

"Thanks you two." he said to the twins as he took the box from his best friend's grasp. "I owe you on." was also said before he had the chance to regret it.

"Introduce us to Yuuhei!" the girl with the braided hair shouted. The blonde sighed.

"Maybe I can get you two some autographs instead." he now offered, hoping it would work.

"Introduce us to Yuuhei!" mairu insisted, but the blond shook his head in denial.

"Maybe I ca-" "Yaay! You heard him, Kuru-nee? We're going to meet Yuuhei-san!" the girl now interrupted the actor's big brother as she grabbed her other half's hand. "Thank you for doing this for us. Contact us for the time and place. Bye!" the hyper girl shouted as she dragged her older twin inside their home as the silent one just waved in his direction. The door was closed and the twins out of sight before the fortissimo could even deny their request, leaving him to stand there outside their home.

As his features were still dumbfounded the Dullahan had her arms folded across her stomach as she shook in mute laughter.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

As the apartment block, the Irish fairy called her home came into view the Coiste Bodhar pulled down at the sidewalk near the apartment's entrance area.

"What's wrong?" her blonde friend asked her while leaning sideward to glance at the side of her helmet. "Aren't we driving all the way through the garage?" he asked.

Her phone was already in her hands at Shizuo's question as she began to type her answer.

" _The lift is shut-down right now for maintaining. So you'd be faster if you get off now and go ahead while I bring shooter to his parking lot."_ was written on the display.

Can't you just drive up the wall like usual?" her companion asked his brows raised.

Waving her had before her "face" in a gesture saying "No" the fairy resumed typing on the device in her hand.

" _The house management complained about the window staying wide open all the tie, so he had it readjusted so it can't be opened anymore but only tilted. So Shooter and I can't go through there anymore."_

"Tch! Fine." the blonde growled slightly. "Couldn't this stupid house manager wait with doing his frickin' job AFTER this is over?!" Shizuo complained. He was seemingly tired of the thought that Izaya's turning back would be delayed for the time he would need to climb up the stairs. "Meet you soon." he said while jumping off the bike and stalking towards the entrance. Looking after her best friend and watching him disappear inside the complex; the Dullahan patted her stead lightly. Her shoulder's shook lightly from soundless laughter.

She was happy for Shizuo, having someone to love. Now she only hoped this love could be returned some day.

Sure, she wasn't such a big fan of Izaya, but her fiancé and her best friend were. Shinra and Izaya being best friends since middle school and Shizuo having a major crush on the shady man put her in quite the bind sometimes.

Then again… She had to admit she felt more comfortable in the dark male's presence than the presence of her future father-in-law.

A shiver racked her body at the thought of the creepy gas-mask wearing man.

Clapping both hands against her helmet as if clapping her hands against her cheeks, the Dullahan halted her wandering thoughts. She had no time for dilly-dallying.

"You know…" Suddenly a voice sounded from behind her.

Shaking and rattling like a rusty mechanism she turned her helmet towards the source of this sudden voice.

"Driving without a license plate is one thing, driving around at night without any lights on, is something else."

Face to face with her worst nightmare, next to aliens, Celty felt a shiver run down her spine.

"I told you a few times already and I'll tell you again…"

The sound of several different bike engines roared up now.

"Don't fuck with traffic cops, monster."

 **-o-o-o-o-**

For someone as used to be on his feet as Heiwajima Shizuo, running up a few several flights of stairs was nothing. Chasing after a certain dark haired info-broker was more exhausting, although at the same time refreshing, for it was the best activity to blow off some steam.

Anyway, he was really craving his cigarettes by now. Sure on their way back they could have stopped at his flat in order to grab the pack left at home, but there was someone of more importance right now. And this someone was currently rolled up inside the transport box he carried with him.

Finally he had reached the top and walked over to the lone door on this floor. Shinra, Kasuka, Izaya… Somehow most of the people close to him had a whole floor for their living quarters. His nemesis and secret love interest had even two. Shizuo never dared to ask how much living like that costs, but his mum once said: "If you have to ask you can't afford it."

Shizuo knocked on the door and pressed on the door bell, before he resumed knocking on the surface with his fist once again. Gently of course, so it wouldn't break under the pressure.

Lucky for Shinra's door, the underground doctor hadn't made the hot headed blond to wait long.

"I guess you need a smoke." the doctor stated while looking cheerful as ever.

"Shut it." the smoke craving one said as he pressed past his childhood friend. Sticking his head out the door looking over the hall the doc's smile fell.

"Is my lovely Celty still with Shooter down at the parking lot? Ah, she's such an angel." the brown haired one stated as he closed the front door.

"She's such an angel. When she heard that Shooter has to stay in the garage until the lift works again, she was afraid he might freeze, so she gat all the spare blankest we have." Shinra continued as he followed behind the blonde who was clearly disinterested in what he was saying.

"Isn't she cute?! I wonder if she'd warm me up with her body if I'd told her I'm freezing. Aaah! Celty! Please warm me up." he moaned out wrapping his arms around himself in a hug wiggling around like a worm as his thoughts turned more indecent.

Going straight to the patient's room, Shizuo went inside and closed the door behind him to shot the perverted doctor out.

There he was. Still the same as yesterday when before he knew that the cat he took in was the same person right now lying on the white sheets. It was strange. Somehow it felt like it wasn't just yesterday, but more days passed instead. So much happened in just one day.

"Meow." The soft mewl of Kuro caught the blonde's attention. Smiling ruefully at the box still in his had, he could see a paw sticking out through one of the openings small holes wiggling around as if to catch the air.

Carefully Shizuo set the box down and opened the small door as the paw retreated inside.

"Wanna come out… Izaya?" he asked while contemplating how he should call the cat right now. There was now reaction other than a curious stare. Slowly Shizuo reached into the box, holding his hand out before the black ball of fluff.

"Kuro?" he asked his smile now more on the sad side. He could feel the touch of soft fur as Kuro rubbed his small head against the limb as he made o step outside the box.

"Mroow." the feline cooed as it walked straight towards the knee Shizuo had placed under himself on the floor. After rubbing his head against it, he started to climb up on it, as oft purr was heard.

"Izaya…" The name more like a breeze than a whisper left his mouth. Strong fingers gently wrapped around the fragile looking creature as they lifted the kitten up before the owner's face.

"Izaya." the whispered the name again as he touched the cat's forehead with his own.

And again. "Izaya."

"Mew" was his answer this time. Surprised gold eyes stared right at the pitch black cat. "Meow" Stretching his thin neck, Kuro leaned towards the human's nose and started licking it as his purr got louder by each second.

Tickled by the rough tongue the strong man chuckled.

"Ha ha You have no idea how much I want you to be in your human body right now." Shizuo snuggled his nose into the black fur, taking a deep inhale.

How didn't he realize it sooner? Even as a cat Izaya still smelt like Izaya.

Another inhale was taken before he leaned away only to press his lips against the kitten's nose which leaned up to meet his.

A sudden flash and a "click click" sound startled oth Kuro and Shizuo as they both looked towards the threshold were a certain glasses wearing underground doctor stood.

His face beat red, one hand pressed against his mouth and nose to suppress any snicker threatening to betray him while the other held up a phone. The camera's lenses directly pointed towards the duo.

"Shiiinraaa…" the beast growled.

"Heh heh You… Do you want me to send you the pic?" Sweat dropped down the brunette's face.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

* * *

A/N: I bet you all can imagine what I have done to Celty^^ Well, sorry, but I simply had to do it. I still wasn't finished with kitty'zaya. He's just too cute XD

Anyway, I hope I'll get the time to check this story's typos soon. As for that, the next update is planned for the 10th of April.


	23. Chapter 23 - One thing after another

A/N: Once again I hadn't had the time to check this ongoing fic for typos. Kinda frustrates me. Anyway, I really hope I'll get to do this soon.

* * *

 **Chapter 23 – One thing after another**

"Haha! Where is it?" sang a bespectacled man wearing a white lab coat. He was sitting cross-legged on the floor waving a stick with colorful feathers attached to one end through the air.

As he lowered the feathery end so it was only ten centimeters above the floor, a black blur shot forth from under the couch table trying to snatch the infuriating thing from the doctor's grasp.

As Shinra saw the attack coming he raised the toy up high so the kitten wouldn't reach it. Sure it jumped up, but sadly missed its goal. Huffing as it landed on its paws, the kitten's reddish gaze fixed hard on the rainbow colored toy.

"Here you go." said the underground doc as he lowered the feathery end again. This time Kuro, formerly known as Shinjuku's information-broker, Orihara Izaya, caught the fiendish cat-toy with his claws.

Pinning it down on the floor he grabbed the thing with his teeth, pulling with all his might on it.

A delighted grin on Shinra's face as he stood up and pulled on the stick. Kuro's attempt to stand his ground was in vain as he was dragged over the floor boards while the human slowly walked backwards pulling him along.

Just then, a soft "PLOP" was heard as the cap holding the feathers onto the stick came lose and Kuro who still held them between his teeth fell on his behind.

The doctor's as well as the cat's eyes widened for a moment, before the black ball of fluff stood up again. Pleased as he was, he proudly walked away from the brown haired male which fumbled around with his phone to snap pictures of him.

The door leading to the hallway opened and a grumpy looking blonde stepped into the room. The kitten's ears perked up as he recognized the man and changed directions to greet him.

"Wha-" was the intelligent sound leaving the tall man's mouth as he saw Izaya/Kuro approach him with a bunch of feathers in his mouth. The feline came to a stop before him. Dropping his prey before Shizuo's feet, he mewled softly asking to be praised.

The debt-collector shot his childhood friend a displeased look before he crouched down. Scratching the dark feline behind one ear earned him a soft purr, before he grabbed the little animal and stood up with it snuggling into his warm chest.

"Oi, Shinra. Why are you treating Izaya like a kitten?" he asked. His voice was soft as to not startle the cat turned man in his arms, though the anger was clearly noticed by the brunette.

"Aw, come on, Shizuo. This is the only chance we get to do this. We should enjoy it and take as many pictures as we can get." Saying this, the doctor took another picture from Izaya snuggling into his supposed enemy's embrace.

Walking by Shinra, the blonde flicked him on the forehead before he sat down on the couch.

With curious eyes, Kuro watched the white coat wearing human rolling around the floor looking to be in pain.

"Celty wasn't there." the bleached haired man said making the other stop rolling around. He had gone downstairs a few minutes ago in search for the Dulahan who still hadn't shown up.

"What?!" Shinra questioned as he sat up in worry.

"Not down in the garage. Not down on the streets. Couldn't find her anywhere." The doctor frowned at hearing his friend's words. "This isn't like Celty." he mumbled quickly using his phone to write a message to his beloved.

In the mean time Ikebukuro's strongest switched on the TV searching for some distraction before he'd send something flying.

A show about UFO's started up. Surely the headless fairy would watch this by now if the whole turn-Izaya-back issue hadn't come up today.

Switching the channel with one hand, he petted the kitten with his free one. The purring sound and the pawing against his pant legs was the complete opposite of the distraction he needed just now.

He just desperately wants Izaya to turn back. Be his god-annoying but also loveable shitty human-self again.

"WAIT!" Shinra's voice suddenly called out startling the blonde man. "Turn back the channel!" was ordered.

Looking up at the screen the bodyguard obeyed. The channel he just went through without looking came back into view, showing a bunch of traffic cops on their motorbikes from behind. Probably a reporter and his camera-team in their van coming across the scene by luck bringing it live on TV.

"So? What's so interesting 'bout this?"

The doctor stood up from his position still on the floor. He took off his glasses, rubbing the bridge of his nose as a deep sigh left his mouth. A rare occurrence.

"I'm going to have a short phone call, calling in a favor." he announced walking out the room into the hallway.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

" _This is bad! This is bad! This is bad! This is bad! This is bad! This is bad! This is bad!"_

As a constant mantra this sentence echoed through the headless woman's mind as she drove her trusty horse as fast as she could away from the second biggest fear in her live.

Or was it actually as bad as aliens? Or worse! Were traffic cops actually aliens?!

Shaking her helmet replacing her missing head, she rebuked herself back into focus.

She had to get back home immediately. As much as she disliked the dark haired informant, she had to turn him back or else the possibility of something bad happening would be quite high. And by this, she wasn't thinking of her best friend going on a rampage, but for once actually concerned about the Orihara's well-being.

She had to lose those terrifying traffic cops before getting close to her home. Risking them to see where she lived was an absolute: "NO!"

"What the-?!" Celty heard a familiar voice curse behind her. Leaving directions to her steed Shooter she looked behind her to see the cops losing tail of her.

"You have one hell of luck, Monster!" their leader shouted before they turned down a different road. Only now that the cops were leaving her alone she noticed a white van following after them. Seems like she managed to get herself caught on camera once again. Shinra warned her of this times and times again.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

Just a little after Shinra had left the living room to "call in some favor" the reporter announced whom those traffic cops were chasing around. It was none other then Ikebukuro's urban legend, the black biker.

"Damn fucking street cops!" he managed through grinding teeth. "Can't those fuckers take a hint?!"

Even though his anger quickly rose up again, he gently laid the fluffy kitten down on the couch beside him before rising up to stand.

"Kill, kill, kill, kill…" he mumbled while approaching the door. His hand clenched around the door latch, leaving imprints, before he swung open the door.

He felt the impact, wood against a certain man's face, cooling down his anger a bit.

"Oi! What'cha goofing off behind the door?"

Feeling his nose to make sure it wasn't broken, Shinra threw his friend an unamused smile.

"Was just planning to come back in." His voice sounded off due to him still grabbing around his nose. SHizuo waved him off as he walked towards the apartment's entrance.

"Look after Izaya for me. I have to go out killing some cops." he called over his shoulder.

"There's no need." the doctor told him as he stood up, brushing dust from white fabric. "I just nicely asked someone in debt to me to cause a little harmless ruckus on street."

Shizuo eyed the man who walked back into the room he just left from. "They should withdraw soon in order to get this other case done."

True to the underground doctor's word, the traffic cops indeed drove down a different way than Celty did, as the ill-tempered male followed after the glasses wearing one.

So hopefully the Irish fairy would soon show up here.

"You want something to drink?" he could hear Shinra ask while he sat down beside the kitten once again.

"Milk." Izaya, no, Kuro crawled back onto his lap. A cute yawn left the feline showing off those sharp fangs. Curling into Shizuo's warmth, it took only seconds for Kuro to drift off into sleep, thanks for those gentle fingers combing through soft fur.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

* * *

A/N: You see? It was just a short delay for Celty^^

Anyway, I won't be able to check for typos the whole week, I hope I'll get to it after.

The next chapter is scheduled for May the 10th as you've surely guessed.


	24. Chapter 24 - Transparent Heart

A/N: As if it's anything new… I still haven't got the chance to look for typos in any of the chapters I planned on doing so for ages. Well… Whatever^^

* * *

 **Chapter 24 – Transparent Heart**

Having finally gotten rid of that pesky police officer, Kinnosuke Kuzuhara, Ikebukuro's famous urban legend was finally able to make her way back home, though still on edge the whole time.

Relief settled in her stomach as Shooter drove down the garage and left Shooter in the secluded parking lot reserved for her shared apartment.

"I'll come back later to tuck you in." she thought as she fondly patted her trusty steeds back to which the motorbike gave a happy neigh.

She took run, past the "Out of Order" elevator right to the stairs, which she ascended as fast as her legs took her. Reaching the final floor, she was slightly out of smoke. Entering through the door to her home, she was greeted by Shinra who just walked out of the living room.

"Ah! Celty! I was just thinking you might be back soon. See? This is destiny! There's a red thread pulling us towards each other!" the underground doctor exclaimed as he tried to jump his girlfriend. Before his hands were able to enclose her in a loving, or better said, crushing embrace her fist connected with his stomach.

"Argh! Celty… My love…" he coughed, before continuing with a strained voice. "You nearly hit my solar plexus. Ah, you could have knocked me out and do what ever kinky desire you had with me. I surely wouldn't mind" She never had the urge to kick someone already beaten and down on the floor… until this very moment.

"Oi, pervert!" A blonde head came into view from the living room. "Leave her alone until we got this settled." Heiwajima Shizuo growled, definitely not amused. Kuro, or rather, Izaya, was safely tucked to his chest, sleeping.

If the Irish fairy had her head, she'd be frowning by now. Pulling out her PDA, she began typing down on it while stepping over her boyfriend. "Since when is he asleep?" the display asked the bodyguard.

"A bit after the TV showed the cops driving down a different road. Why?" The dullahan brought her knuckles up to where her chin would be. Maybe she just worried too much, but she still couldn't help but think it was strange that the kitten didn't wake up from Shizuo carrying him around. Was he such a deep sleeper?

Shaking her helmet her fingers glided over the display once again. "Let's just turn him back."

That being said she led her fiend down the hall towards the patient's room, Izaya was sleeping in.

The blonde frowned. "He looks pale." "You're just imagining this." Shinra answered to the man's concerned whisper as he wobbled through the door still clutching his abdomen.

"Put Kuro down on Izaya's chest." told a PDA that was shoved into Shizuo's view. He did as commanded to him and stepped back to give Celty some room to do whatever she was gonna do.

The black cladded woman raised her hand above the black kitten as soon after shadows emerged from the sleeve of her biker suit and wrapped around the sleeping animal. The shadows burst into smoke and disintegrated, the cat still sleeping soundly. Her eyes would have blinked just now if she had a head on her shoulders. Se repeated the action but it still resulted in the same outcome.

"That's new." the doctor said as if there was nothing to worry about. The woman tried again and again, but nothing other happened.

"What's wrong?" the concerned voice of Ikebukuro's beast resounded behind her. Shakily she lifted up her phone.

"It's not working." Shinra concluded, which had Shizuo whip his head around to face him. "WHAT?!" he exclaimed.

"It's too late." was written on Celty's phone.

"What do you mean it's too late?! I thought you didn't remember about this ability before, how can you know it's too late?!" Shizuo demanded, clearly forgetting it's his friend Celty he's shouting at now.

The brunette stepped in between them, a menacing glare towards his childhood friend. As the fairy was about to type on her PDA again, a hand gently settled on top oh hers. "You remembered something, right?" Shinra's voice spoke softly, comforting. She nodded.

"It just came to me on my way back." she told the men through her phone. Although Shizuo was the only one reading it, clearly holding back from starting a ft of rage. Shinra was gently taking of his lover's helmet, lovingly gazing at her smoke emitting neck. "It's okay." he reassured her.

"What?! No! Nothings o-" "SHUT IT!" Shinra had raised his voice to interrupt the blonde's complain. The look he threw at him was dark and shivers ran down the most probably strongest man in the whole world.

"Celty." the doctor's tone turned gentle again, his right hand rising up to caress the porcelain neck. "What's going to happen now?"

Nimble fingers began to move in a hectic but skilled way. Shizuo balled up his fist and clenched his teeth. He couldn't lose Izaya. Not now. Not after he finally gained the courage to confess to him once he'd opened those gem-like eyes again.

"His instincts took over and he completely forgot he's originally human now." the dullahan told them.

"So he's stuck as a cat forever?" Shizuo asked. Due to her helmet being removed, Celty had to shake her hand in order to deny his question. She placed herself between both males, turning around so both Shizuo and Shinra could read over her shoulder what she was about to tell them while she wrote it down.

"If he doesn't remember, his soul can't go back to his body and the link between those two parts will vanish and the soul will-" "He's disappearing." Shinra interrupted his loves typing. She brought her attention up to him, intending to meet his eyes, though they weren't turned to her or the phone's display. His gaze in shock was fixed onto someone else. Someone lying unconscious on a bed only a few feet away from them.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

He could already imagine what Celty was going to tell them. With Izaya's soul not being able to go back to where it belonged, the link between body and soul would disappear and Izaya, namely the human, would most likely die and wither away while the kitten would continue its life oblivious of the past. Shinra's gaze shifted towards his best friend. He felt guilty for thoughtlessly experimenting on him. Again. This time he really took it too far.

Shizuo was right. Izaya's face was definitely paler than usual. A sign that the link soon would be gone. His eyes shifted to the laid bare soul sleeping on his best friends chest.

He had to blink. Blaming his eyes to blame tricks on him, but no. They were not.

The cat was… transparent. Grey eyes widened with insight.

So it wasn't just the body dying. No, the soul would just simply…

"He's disappearing." Shinra blurted out without thinking.

… cease to exist.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

"He's disappearing."

Startled by those words, the debt-collector and bodyguard felt a strange lumb form inside his throat. He as well as Celty, both looked towards the one who uttered those words, before following Shinra's gaze to land on Kuro.

"I-Izaya." his own voice sounded foreign to him as the name of his love-interest came out from between his lips.

The cat, Kuro, the form Izaya's soul took, was clearly see-through now.

"No." he mumbled taking a step forward. As if this was the key, his whole body began to move now. "No. No. No! NO!" he repeated this single phrase as he lunged forward to fall on his knees beside the bed. "Izaya!"

He could feel the mattress the informant laid upon give in as his fingers clenched into the material, burying themselves in it.

He'd rather reach out to him. Trying to hold on to him as to make sure he won't disappear, like Shinra had said, but he was too scared. Scared of not being able to grasp him. To hold him here, to give him a reason to stay.

A hand grasping his shoulder caught his attention, as Celty held her phone towards him.

"There's still one thing we can do."

 **-o-o-o-o-**

* * *

A/N: Haha You haven't thought I would simply turn him back, right^^

Anyway, next update is on June the 10th.


	25. Chapter 25 - In Between

A/N: Here's the next chapter^^ Still in progress of checking all the former chapters for typos and most of the time too easily distracted by other things.

* * *

 **Chapter 25 – In Between**

Gently they fell down from the darkened sky. White flakes of frozen water, swallowing all sound around him. He just sat there; watching the snow fall as if enchanted by it's other worldly beauty. For how long, he didn't know. He just opened his eyes and found himself here. But where was this supposed "here"? That's something he was aware off. He also couldn't recall "who", or even "what" he was, but strangely he knew all those things surrounding him. The white cold stuff was called snow.

His eyes caught a particular thick flake and followed its ascend down to the smooth surface he sat on. It looked like a frozen lake.

This was the world he found himself in as he opened his eyes. A frozen lake as far as his eyes could go and a dark blue sky shedding tears of snow which slowly but surely began to hide the glassy ice floor beneath his black furred paws.

All around him the frozen surface still to be seen, mirrored the sky's bleeding of snow, though not as he looked down. There was no reflection of something clad in black fur. No. Beneath him he saw something enclosed inside the ice, or rather said, even beneath it. It was, as if the ice was acting as a wall keeping him away from the being on the other side. It was big, way bigger than him and it had the shape of a human body. He couldn't make out more since it only resembled a shadow under the thick surface. But it didn't matter to him. As more and more snow gently fell down on him, the shadow disappeared under a thin white blanket. Bit by bit.

Looking up at the sky again, he closed his eyes.

"It's so calm." he thought.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

"There's still one thing we can do." glowed black letters on a yellow greenish background. Looking up from the PDA held towards his face, the blonde man locked his eyes onto the swirling shadows emitting out of his best friend's neck.

"I'll do it." came the immediate response out of Shizuo's mouth as he stood up facing the Dullahan.

"Huh? But you don't even know what my lovely enchantress is talking about." a certain doctor's voice came from beside him.

"I don't fucking care! If there's a way to save Izaya then I'll do it. Got a problem with that?!" At the last sentence that came out like a snarl the near indestructible man clenched the doctor's white coat inside his fist. Rising both hands up in defeat, the brunette let out a trembling laugh as he hurriedly shook his head.

Letting go of the clean fabric, he once again turned his attention back towards the Irish fairy. "So?"

Having made use of the distraction her fiancé had brought, she already held out her reply towards the fuming man.

"Dullahan's are like a bridge between this side and the beyond." Reading the text Ikebukuro's beast nodded. "I don't care about some details, just get to the point." he huffed, remembering it was still his friend he talked too and also the only one with the power to save the raven haired nuisance he had a major crush on.

Gracefully her fingers moved over the device, writing another reply.

"Ah, Celty! I love watching those skilled fingers of yours. Maybe you should use them when we have some alone time in be-ACK!" Her right fist connected with her gushing boyfriend's stomach as her left hand directed a PDA towards the bleached haired man. How lucky of a pervert, Shinra was. If Celty hadn't punched him, Shizuo was just contemplating doing so.

"For a short time I can link your soul with Izaya's. Use that time to make him remember." the headless fairy wrote him. Nodding he asked. "How long?"

But the answer came from the underground doctor instead.

"I assume for as long as it takes for you to regain consciousness or for Izaya's soul to disappear." The display of Celty's phone showed the word "Correct."

"And you have to slash him with your scythe, right?" Another affirmative to Shinra's assumption.

The bodyguard sat down on the floor, beside the bed's foot end a certain raven in distress was currently sleeping in. His right arm resting on the mattress, his hand cupped the informant's right.

He didn't even look at the Dullahan as she summoned her shadowy scythe, or as she took a swing at him. Golden eyes were fixed on the pale man's face and the already see-through kitten, as his ears heard the sound of something cutting through air, before everything went black.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

He had just closed his eyes, thinking of how calm and relaxed this world made him feel, as a strong gust of wind swept over him, making him fall over. Rusty eyes blinked open as their owner wobbly rose on his four feet. Some of the snow which had started to cover the shadowy figure beneath the ice was gone, but already new flakes started to replace those lost.

"Oi!" and angry shout startled him from behind. Whirling around his eyes landed on neatly polished black shoes, only two or three meters away from him. His gaze kept wandering up. Black trousers, a black vest hugging a white shirt followed by a face that seemed somehow both familiar and then not to him.

The light blue shades did nothing to hide those scowling gold-brown eyes as they scrutinized him. It made him feel intimidated and at the same time… excited?

While his eyes curiously took in all of the person before him, he hadn't noticed how the snow stopped falling from the sky. He was just too mesmerized by this being which disturbed him inside his lonely but peaceful world.

"Shitty Flea." the being opened its mouth once again. "You really made me chase your ass all the way over here." The man with the blonde mane sighed. "You're a real handful, ya know that?"

Tilting his head, he still looked at the other. "What's this excitement I feel?" he thought.

"Just say something. Damn it!" the human hollered before he mumbled his next sentence. "I should be able to talk to you here… I think."

Could he? Was he able to form the same sounds as the other? Was he able to converse with him?

Yes. After all… He was… No! He IS human.

Something started to feel different about him. It was as if the world around him shifted slightly, but he couldn't care less. All he wanted to do was talk to this human before him. The being that brought change into his dull world.

"Who… are you?"

The others scowling face turned into a painful smile.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

* * *

A/N: Sooo… I don't know how you all felt with this chapter, but writing it totally relaxed me. Oh well, whatever…

Next chapter will be here on July the 10th.


	26. Chapter 26 - Let it Snow

A/N: Nothing new by now, but I still haven't checked the other chapters for typos yet. I know I'm a disappointment. Oh whatever. I hope you all still enjoy the new update. Also, don't thinkanything of the chapter's title. It's the time of year I always sing or hum Christmas songs.

* * *

 **Chapter 26 – Let it snow**

Opening his eyes once again Ikebukuro's strongest found himself in a strange place. A white glistening world with a darkened sky with snow falling from. It was eerily quite as he looked from side to side. The landscape just seemed to go on and on endlessly.

The radiating whiteness all around him hurt his eyes, whishing he'd have his shades with him his hand unconsciously wandered towards where he'd put them in times he wore his bartender suit. As his fingers brushed over his vest's breast pocket and soon after those desired blue tinted sun-glasses, he was pleasantly surprised of him wearing his well known get-up.

"Did it work?" the blonde thought, frowning at his whereabouts after he put on his shades. At first glance this scenery had something calm and peaceful, almost sacred to it. On the other hand though… It made him feel lost and lonely.

There was no warmth, nothing out of place. Just a snow covered floor and a dark blue sky contrasting each other as they met far away at the horizon.

A cold shiver ran down his body. If this is what Izaya felt inside, then he had to change it. He'd have to snatch the Flea away to a brighter much warmer place. But first, he'd have to find him.

Just as he thought of what had to be done a strong wind came up, riding the ground he stood on from the white layer, revealing thick ice that mirroring him as well as the sky. A low thud resounded somewhere behind him. Whirling around he at first saw nothing out of the ordinary, but as his eyes glanced downwards he saw him. Izaya, still looking as Kuro, laid there on the icy surface, his back towards Shizuo. As the white flakes fell down he noticed a human shaped shadow beneath the cat instead of a reflection.

"Oi!" the shout for attention leaving his mouth sounded just like how it would if it were the two enemies' normal routine. The black feline turned around, dull rusty eyes met his own hidden behind blue shades.

After the kitten's eyes fully took in his appearance he was happy to notice those sad eyes lighting up with a familiar glint. There they were again. Those beautiful gem-like eyes he missed so dearly, still lacking some of their usual life but better than before.

Trying his hardest not to smile at the other he didn't notice how the snow stopped falling around them leaving the majority of the glassy ice free.

"Shitty Flea." Shizuo began. "You really made me chase your ass all the way over here." A sigh left him as soon as he said those words.

"You're a real handful, ya know that?"

The cat tilted its head, still no sign of recognition.

"Just say something. Damn it!" His frustration got the better of him. "I should be able to talk to you here… I think." he now whispered more to himself.

Kuro's head tilted to the other side. Black triangular ears shifted to attention as the ice beneath it got clearer. If the blonde would have paid attntion to anything other than the cat-turned man he would have noticed a change in the shadow beneath the thick ice. Instead he noticed something else. A black mist suddenly surrounded the dark feline and its form shifted.

As the mist disappeared the kitten was gone, now a child was in its place kneeling on the most likely cold surface. A child looking five years old with raven colored hair and the same red-brownish eyes filled with curiosity for everything they caught sight off.

The kid's lips parted. "Who…" the boy paused for a second. "… are you?" he asked.

"Still can't remember me?" Shizuo thought in disappointment while his heart clenched in pain. He still tried to smile at the small child before him. At least he somehow got the Flea to take on human from again. Why it was the appearance of a much younger Izaya was unbeknownst to him and to be honest he didn't care as long as this meant he was on the right track.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

The stranger's pained smile felt out of place to him. He had the feeling it didn't belong on the blonde man's face. Why he felt like this was beyond him, which only confused him more. And then, the stranger walked towards him. Clearing the distance between them, the man with the warm but pain filled eyes crouched down before him so they were nearly face to face now. The blonde raised his right hand whereupon he flinched back in fear and clenched his eyes shut. For a few seconds there was nothing, until he felt the same big hand ruffle his black hair. The friendly gesture made him feel warm inside and he opened his eyes again. Caramel like orbs smiled down at him as the man still ruffled through his dark locks.

"My name's Shizuo." he said. "Heiwajima Shizuo, but I guess- Well… You can call me Shizu-chan."

Involuntarily the boy giggled at the sight of the tall man's cheeks gaining a bright red hue. Quickly he held both hands before his traitorous mouth. The boy just didn't know why he laughed at the man.

"I'm… sorry…" he mumbled while looking down in shame. The hand that was resting on his head shot back as if burned, making the boy looking up in wonder of what happened or will happen. The taller one looked down at him in surprise.

"Never thought I would hear you saying 'sorry'." Shizuo said to which the child got even more confused.

"Whatever." the taller one started talking again; he brought the hand which had touched the raven haired boy's head to his chin, tilting his head in wonder. "I thought my nickname would ring a bell with you. You still remember your own name?"

At the man's question he opened his mouth, but soon after he was shocked. He had to admit he didn't. But… Shouldn't he know his name?

Suddenly the feel of warmth grasped his shoulders. Noticing he had started to panic slightly over the lack of knowing WHO he was, he started at the stranger's eyes again. No! Not a stranger. That man introduced himself as Shizuo… Shizu-chan… A weird feeling bloomed up inside his chest.

"Calm down, okay?" Shizu-chan's soothing voice pleaded. "You're name's Orihara Izaya."

The blonde stared him in the eyes. Was he waiting for something?

 **-o-o-o-o-**

After a few moments of silence the child finally talked again.

"O…riha…ra… Izaya…" he tried out the name, as if tasting how it rolled over his tongue. Shizuo smiled down at him. "Orihara Izaya!" the boy now said with more confidence. Noticing the spark of mischievous joy returning to those reddish eyes the ex-bartender couldn't help but feel proud of how well he was doing his job here.

"That's right." Shizuo said happily. "And? Remember anything else?" the blonde asked.

Beaming up at him, the boy shook his head. "Nope. Nothing, Shizu-chan." he said in a cheerful tone making the other feel defeated while also wanting to strangle Izaya, if he momentarily just weren't a child.

"Damn it!" he cursed. "Should have asked Celty how to bring you back." the adult growled, burying his fingers inside bleached hair before locking eyes with the smaller one again.

"Well, you are…" he began, but stopped abruptly. "A shitty bastard who sticks his nose into other peoples business?" he finished inside his head. No, that's nothing he could say a child to its face, not even if said child was/is a pesky loveable blood-sucker.

He tried a different route. "Izaya, I…" he stopped himself again. Thinking of what he actually planned on telling a kid right now he wildly shook his head. "Damn it! Can't you turn back to being an adult? I can't confess my love to a brat! You make me look like a creep here, Flea!" the blonde bellowed more towards himself rather than his child-turned nemesis alias crush. All the while not noticing the change that crossed the raven's features.

A shaky inhale brought him out of his self-loathing. Glancing at the child before him he saw the boy's eyes were wide open… In shock?!

"Sh-Shi…" The child stuttered. "Shizu…chan?" There was a strange undertone in the way his nickname was said. It sounded almost as if… "Oi!" the blonde barked grabbing at both of the boy's shoulders again. "Izaya! Ya recognize me?!" he pleaded in hope and fear at the same time.

Another inhale of the other followed by a slight nod, before the informant asked: "What's going on?"

Shizuo was relieved at somehow managing to get his parasite back, but before he was able to explain black shadows wrapped themselves around the still child turned man and dragged him through the layer of ice, faster then the blonde was even able to react.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

Watching the man beating around things to say was quite amusing to Izaya. He could see the gears running hot inside the blonde's head just while looking at Shizu-chan's face.

"Izaya, I…" the adult before him stopped again right after starting to form a sentence. If he hadn't already spoke to him before it would made Izaya wonder if the other was even capable of human language. "Like a protozoan." the carmine eyed silently laughed at the strangely nostalgic thought passing through his mind.

"Damn it!" the honey eyed one cursed loudly. "Can't you turn back to being an adult? I can't confess my love to a brat! You make me look like a creep here, Flea!"

The words leaving the other's mouth stirred something up once again. This time it was as if the blonde's words actually flipped a switch inside him. He suddenly found himself in different places all of them passing through with a speed faster as he was able to comprehend.

First he in front the same man currently crouching before him. Looking much taller then in reality, sitting on the floor while leaning against a bed; his fingers gently brushed over him.

" _What do you think, Kuro?"_ he could hear the blonde's voice inside what he assumed to be a flashback. _"Should I confess to your master once he's up again?"_

The first image was followed by another featuring Shizuo. This time Izaya was running away from him as the other chased after him, a terribly bent street sign in his grasp, the sun setting behind him.

The next showed how his hand moved in a flash slicing a knife through the dress shirt of the school uniform a teenage version of the angry fake blonde wore.

Another image and another and another… So many scenes played themselves through his head. All having to do with one single man, Heiwajima Shizuo, the monster of Ikebukuro.

"Sh-Shi…" he stuttered, his voice strangely sounding like when he was still in kindergarten. "Shizu…chan?"

Oi!" His shoulders were caught in the blonde's firm but surprisingly gentle grip. "Izaya! Do you recognize me?!"

Another drag in of air before he nodded. He was confused. What happened? Where were they?

"What's going on?"

Then suddenly he was pulled back and next he felt as if he was drowning.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

* * *

A/N: I feel a little less lazy so cheer for me that I might find the willpower to sit down and FINALY check all those chapters for typos. Anyway, next chapter is due on August the 10th.


	27. Chapter 27 - Kiss of Life

A/N: Wow! How did you guess right?! I really still hadn't checked up the former chapters for any typos. You're good at guessing… or you just gotten used to it XD

Anyway, here's the new chapter. Right on time.

* * *

 **Chapter 27 – Kiss of Life**

The shadows, that had wrapped themselves around the child-turned informant pulled him through the solid ice as if it were nothing but water. The act went on so fast, that Shizuo had no chance of grabbing the raven head's hand in time and so he witnessed in shock as his crush was pulled away. The hand he stretched out to pull the raven headed boy back met a solid barrier.

The surface had stopped mirroring everything above, instead it became as clear as crystal. And right beneath, where a child version of Izaya was only seconds ago, the blonde could see Orihara Izaya, as the world knew him, trapped beneath in a cage of water. His face probably showed the same shock as Shizuo's before it distorted to something else.

What his face showed now, was the realization of being trapped under water, with seemingly no way of breaking free. It was probably the most stupid automatic reaction his body ever made, as he gasped for air that was nowhere even near. Instead water began its way down his throat into his lungs. It was painful and he knew it would be better to just shut his mouth but he couldn't stop the cough that went up thanks to the little bit of water running down the wrong pipe. It made everything worse and his hopes to survive vanished with each new cough and each knew involuntary swallow for something that still wasn't there.

What felt like an eternity of helplessly watching Izaya drown, were actually only a few seconds before he broke his body's frozen spell and started banging against the transparent surface.

"Damn it! Izaya!" he screamed while a bang punctuated every word. "I have no idea what's wrong with this place, but don't you dare die on me!"

The struggles of the black clad man became less and less which made the blonde swallow in fear. Before ramming his fist even more frantic than before.

"Didn't you listen to any word I said, fucking Flea?! I still haven't confessed to you! At least not the way I should! Damn it! Damn it! DAMN IT!"

Blood splattered on the ice with each bang as the ex-bartender's skin broke against the force of each hit.

"I~ZA~YAAA!"

A crack resounded through the silence around him. For a second he thought it was his hand that finally broke under the pressure, but to his relief he saw it was the ice that cracked instead. New vigor seethed up in his chest as he continued, not noticing the reddish eyes that slowly closed and the body that seized every movement as the blonde just concentrated all his power towards that one crack leaking his hope. More and more hairline cracks appeared, drawing the pattern of a spider web on the surface. Until the ice finally gave in and the debt-collector could feel water touching he skin of his hand.

Not hesitating a second he grabbed for the figure that slowly started to descend. The blonde had to dive his arm all the way up to the point where shoulder and neck met. The liquid hurt. It was as if someone rammed a thousand burning needles into his skin. Even through the pain, his only thoughts were: "Save Izaya".

And so, fingers wrapped themselves around a slender wrist, pulling the drowning figure up as fast as possible.

Pulling Izaya up and out of the water, the blonde lost his footing and stumbled backwards, landing flat on his back. A wet and black lump, once known as Izaya lying limply on top of him.

"Hah hah hah." laughed the bigger male in exhaustion. That stupid ice was sturdier than most of the things he broke with ease on a daily basis.

Without even thinking he wrapped his arms around the smaller one. His bloody hand, looking even worse now with the water diluting the red liquid so the flow of blood looks heavier than it actually is, found its way into black locks. Fingers absentmindedly started to comb throw the drenched mop. Laughing again he pulled the other closer to him.

"I got you now." he mumbled, though no answer came. A frown pulled on his face.

"Izaya?" He waited for an answer.

"Flea?" Still none came.

"That's not funny." Leting the still not reacting body slide down from him as careful but also as fast as possible, Shizuo switched positions with Izaya.

The dark haired man seemed unconscious. Reddish eyes were close, facial features lacking the panic and horror from earlier and blue tinted lips slightly agape. Though what the bleached one disturbed the most, was the not rising and sinking chest. There was absolutely no movement.

"Fuck! Just… Fuck! You fucking princess!"

After one handily tilting the raven's head up a bit so the throat was stretched and air would be able to pass towards the lungs easier, Shizuo leaned his face down towards the "sleeping beauty". Millimeters before his lips touched those ice cold ones, golden brown eyes locked onto closed lids.

"Before you nag around, saying I'm doing it in the wrong order… this is only mouth to mouth."

His free hand pinched the Flea's nose closed. "I'll give you a real kiss later." he added before enclosing Izaya's mouth with his own.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

The first thing he came to was that he had the worst headache in his personal history of headaches. He still had to open his eyes, but he already knew it would hurt as hell and most likely make the light nausea he felt worse.

The faint beeping sound he heard in the distance didn't help and as it grew louder and louder it felt as if a certain blonde beast was hammering a trash bin against his head. And he knew from experience how the impact head VS trash bin feels like.

Gritting his teeth in annoyance, he swallowed down some spit, hoping it would somehow help his parching and dried up throat until he gets his hands on some water. Readying himself for the possibility of burning his eyes out their sockets the instant the lids opened up he took a few deep but shaky inhales.

Blinking his brown, red tinted eyes open, he was pleasantly surprised.

"Looks like it finally got into Shinra's thick head to dim the lights so people won't get blinded first thing after waking up." the man thought as he waited for his blurry vision to start focusing.

Slowly he lifted a shaking hand up to his face, feeling the urge to comb fingers through his hair. He felt something wrapped around his head instead his soft black hair.

"A bandage, huh? Explains the headache."

Humming to himself he made an attempt to sit up. Slowly, so he wouldn't aggravate his queasy stomach.

Now holding his upper body up while leaning on his elbows, he took in his surroundings. There was nothing out of the ordinary. He was in his best friend's excuse for a hospital room and hooked up to a heart monitor. He still felt like any too sudden movements would cause him to empty his stomach, if there was anything inside that is. Slowly he turned his head towards the window. The curtains were closed; only a small gap let a sliver of light in, which was enough of a light source to help him access the shapes of his surroundings.

He noticed someone inside that armchair in the corner next to the window. First he thought it was Shinra who just fell asleep there while taking care of him, but at closer look, he saw the beast of Ikebukuro instead.

"What the…?"

The opening of a door got his attention as he turned his head towards the sound. Before he was able to protest a hand went for the light switch and-

"Hump! Huuuurgh!"

\- made the raven haired empty what little he had inside onto the tiled floor.

"What?! Oh! Izaya, you're awake." A brown haired man spoke as his glasses reflected the abhorrent light, before he saw the mess his friend had made.

"Hey! Who do you think has to clean that up?" he complained.

Gasping for air Izaya coughed out: "Shut up, or there'll be more."

The doctor entered the room, grabbing a towel he had left earlier from a cupboard that held some of his work tools and threw the fabric to where his friend just tried spilling his guts.

"Pucking right after seeing your friends face is pretty mean." the lab-coat wearing male said with a pout.

"If said friend makes my head hurt even more than before, it's no wonder."

Soon the horrible beeping sound vanished, as the doctor checked the monitor over and deemed it unnecessary, since the patient was clearly alive and well.

"Of course you have a headache. You have a slight concussion from the lamp post that hit you fair and square." an obnoxiously cheerful doctor said as he now blinded the informant with a little flashlight he suddenly pulled out of his coat to shine into the other's eyes. Next thing he grabbed the raven's head starting to unwrap the white cloth for whatever reason.

"Urgh! Careful! You're supposed to be a doctor not a butcher!" Izaya complained. In his peripheral view he saw the blond was still sleeping soundly.

"Ne, Shinra~" the raven started. An acknowledging hum was his answer while the brunette carefully prodded at his patient's head.

"What's Shizu-chan doing here? Waiting for me to wake up so he could finish the job?" After those questions left his mouth, the doctor harshly pushed away the head he was examining in order to look at Izaya's face.

"Aaah! Shinra, you four-eyed jerk!" the ravenette hissed in pain. "What was that for?"

"Repeat that." the doctor demanded instead of answering. "What? No! You heard me the first time."

The brunette's brows furrowed.

"Say, Izaya-kun… What's the last thing you remember?" the medic was curious now. Izaya was the first one who stayed I his soul-shaped-form long enough to wake up and being conscious. But the way he questioned Shinra right now, sounded like…

"You wanna make me believe I have amnesia now, Kishitani-se~n~sei?" the info-broker mocked him. "I'll play along and amuse you. Doctor's orders, right?" he laughed.

The usual carefree and love struck man rolled his eyes at his friends behavior. "At least he acts like himself now." he thought.

Watching the raven haired man put his pointer finger up to his chin, Shinra waited for an answer.

"Well,…" Izaya began. "I guess the last thing I remember is Shizu-chan chasing me through an alley followed by I assume Celty's shadows grabbing me so the monster was finally able to hit me."

The doctor gulped. "Shizuo is so going to hit me."

 **-o-o-o-o-**

* * *

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this XD Next chapter is on September the 10th. It's two year anniversary. I'll think of something special for this occasion.


	28. Chapter 28 - Clouded Sky

A/N: Hey! It's the second anniversary of this fic! I admit that once again I didn't check this or other chapters for typos, so I know you're already used to it. But hey, I'm sick now, so maybe the chance of me finally checking all those chapters isn't so low.

* * *

 **Chapter 28 – Clouded Sky**

Right after he started to give his crush CPR, his eyes snapped open and Shizuo found himself back at his childhood friend's make-shift hospital. The light of day flooded the room and an annoying but strangely also comfortable rhythmic beeping was heard somewhere nearby.

"Wha-" he groggily mumbled out in confusion, before all of a sudden a face adorned with specs and surrounded by brown hair obscured his view.

"Hey! You made it! Congratulations." It was none other than Kishitani Shinra.

It took the blonde a few seconds to process the other's words. Furrowing his brows you could see the gears in his head working overtime, before realization hit him.

The strong man shot up from his crouching position at the hospital bed's side. Looking at the form of a NOT see-through Orihara Izaya.

He sighed in relief.

"So Izaya's alright." he whispered more to himself while the fondness clearly showed on his face.

Even though the blonde's attention was glued to the raven head, the doctor nodded.

"Yes. It had gone so far I had to strain my eyes in order to make out Izaya, but then he suddenly…" Shinra waved his pointer finger around, searching for the right word. "… Filled out again? Whatever, he just got better. Whatever you did it worked out, so you should be proud of yourself." he explained.

Shizuo stood up from the floor, which wasn't all that comfortable. His legs were a little shaky and he felt exhaustion creep up on him.

"It's nearly eleven o'clock, but you can borrow my room if you need to sleep." the doctor said, flipping through a few sheets on a clipboard now. "Don't look inside the drawer on my bedside-table." he added the corner of his lips rising up into a dorky grin.

Instead of taking the other up on his offer the blonde staggered towards the armchair not too far away and slumped down on it. No words being said, as his actions should have been answer enough for the brunette, Shizuo made himself comfortable and closed his eyes.

He wasn't planning on falling asleep here, just resting his eyes, that's all he wanted. Falling asleep could wait until the flea woke up and heard his confession.

His mind was set; he was going to confess his feelings for the annoying informant. Not caring if the Flea couldn't hear it anymore or not. He had to do it properly at least once before he'd consider his next actions.

What would happen after he confessed? He'd thought about the "what if" a dozens of times already.

The Flea would probably mock him or just laugh him off, if Shizuo's lucky. The bad ending would be Izaya thinking of him as disgusting and staying away from him for good. It wasn't often he imagined outcomes where Izaya would return his feelings, consider trying to date him or at least accepting the beast's love for what it is and continue as if nothing changed.

All in all Shizuo would be happy if not delighted for Izaya to at least consider giving him a chance for a relationship. He wouldn't dare hopping Izaya felt the same for him, but he really didn't want the ravenette to just brush off his feelings and continue their normal routine.

He knew he couldn't continue once the truth would be out for good.

As his worries just circled around each other, without bringing any result, he decided to distract himself somehow differently and opened his eyes again.

Imagine how confused he was after just closing his eyes for a few seconds only to open them to a darkened room that was completely silent. Looking around he saw the window's curtains drawn close so far that only a little gap let through a glimpse of orange sky. The heart monitor was shut-off and there was no dark haired figure lying on the hospital bed.

"Fuck!" he cursed under his breath. He didn't even notice he fell asleep.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

Loud clattering and cursing alerted the underground doctor of Ikebukuro's most famous anger issue's awakening.

After adding some milk to his coffee, he opened up a cupboard to get out one of his metal cups to pour some milk into it.

Soon after he could hear a door opening up and haste footsteps rushing down the hallway towards him. The door to the living room, which also contained the apartments kitchen was left open so as soon as a blonde mop came into his view he held up the cup with the white liquid towards the person that just rushed threw the threshold.

The blonde Heiwajima blinked in surprise. Opening his mouth to say something, he was immediately interrupted by the man offering milk to him. "Orihara-kun left."

"What?!" the taller man barked. "I mean Izaya." Shinra added.

"I know who you mean! I wanna know why!"

The medic walked towards the table sitting down on one chair. "Let's have a little chat."

Frowning at him, Shizuo followed after his crazy friend and sat down before him. Shinra waited until the other took a swig in hope it would calm him down a little, before dropping the next bomb on him.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

Pulling down to the side walk near an all too familiar apartment complex in Shinjuku was none other than the famous black rider, with a dark clothed, fur lined addition behind on her bike.

As they came to a stand still the male jumped down, pulled off his shadow made helmet as it disappeared into thin air and bowed before his taxi.

"My most sincere gratitude, courier-san." the reddish-brown eyed man said, his tone of voice sounding more like mockery than honest gratitude.

As he rose up to face the headless woman his form staggered slightly, though anyone other than Celty probably wouldn't have noticed.

Letting her shoulder drop as if sighing the Dullahan pulled out her PDA typing something on it.

 _"Remember what Shinra told you. You have to rest up for the next two weeks."_

With both hands inside his fur-lined coat's pockets he leaned forward reading what's on the display.

Laughing he spread his arms, hands still inside the pockets so coat was spread open before he flapped it close and open again.

"You're both acting as if this was my first concussion. This time it's only a slight one too. I think I know what I can and can't do."

The black bicker deleted the text she had written before. _"Don't take it lightly."_ she wrote. "It wasn't just a concussion, after all." she added in her mind.

"Whatever you say, Mum." the ravenette added.

The Irish fairy clenched her fist around her horse's handle. If she wasn't feeling guilty for the trouble they had put the informant through and more importantly Shizuo, she would be more than happy to punch him at least once.

"I'll be counting on your service for the time I have to _rest_ , courier-san!" the informant laughed out before he turned on his heels skipping towards his home.

As the fairy's PDA disappeared in her suit again before she drove off again, she didn't notice the black haired male had turned around as he reached the entrance. A solemn look on his face.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

It wasn't long until grey clouds shoved themselves like a curtain over the sunset died sky above Tokyo. Shinra had told him about Izaya's condition and how he demanded to be brought home soon after waking up and hearing the doctor's diagnose of a light concussion. Shizuo left soon after hearing all this. A new hole adorning the wall of the underground doctor's apartment.

"He doesn't remember." the blonde mumbled to himself as he aimlessly wandered through Ikebukuro's streets.

Nothing. He remembers nothing of the past day. The multiple unintentional confessions, all the shit they went through just to bring him back... Nothing. For Izaya, it was as if all this never happened.

It could be a chance for Shizuo to just forget all about it too. Go on and chase after the flea as if nothing happened. As if he never set up his mind to confess.

The fortissimo shook his head. Looking up at the heavy rain clouds probably soon to be pouring down their content he made up his mind anew.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

Leaning against one of his apartment's giant windows, the raven haired male looked down at the tiny humans trying to hurry away from the rain that just started to fall down. It was dark outside and even though the street lamps illuminated his beloved humans, it was harder and harder to keep watch over them, due to the rain hitting his window, obscuring his view.

Ever since he came home... No. Ever since he left the Kishitani residence he was in deep thought. His head was killing him all the same. He knew Shinra concealed the whole truth from him. Something happened while he was unconscious. He just knew it!

Why else would Shizu-chan sleep in an armchair at his enemy's bed side, with bags under his eyes?

"He just wanted to make sure you apologize for ruining Celty and my date after waking up." his only friend had obviously lied to him.

Something bothered him ever since he left his friend's home. He thought of it while the headless courier gave him a ride, but he just couldn't pin-point what exactly it was that bothered him so much.

A sudden rumble startled him, confusing him even more soon after it occurred. He was never scared of thunder, not even as a child. So what had him react to this sudden sound? Acting all jumpy like a cat.

Chuckling to himself, the male pushed himself away from the window, walking over to the light switch to finally illuminate his darkened home.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

* * *

A/N: I said I was thinking of something to celebrate the 2nd anniversary. To be honest I actually had planned on finishing up a few one-shots I had started ages ago, but due to changes in my work schedule and recently getting sick they didn't made it to the finish line. So instead I'll be updating this fic's next chapter on the 20th of September!


	29. Chapter 29 - Let's play a game of Ludo

A/N: Here I am! As promised with the newest chapter XD Have fun!

* * *

 **Chapter 29 – Let's play a game of Ludo**

An information-broker's life is as if constantly playing a game of poker. It doesn't matter who or how many are at the current game, every party holds their cards close to their chest, trying their best to uphold a poker face. Their minds racing to determine which hand the opponents will play.

Not only the work, but the life an informant leads is a hard and dangerous one. Especially if you strife to be the best, like Orihara Izaya.

He's known for always being up to date and he knows even the most insignificant dirt on a person's "white vest". Even if the stain should have been washed out long time ago.

If there is anything he doesn't know, Orihara has his way's of finding it out with a god-like speed.

But the hearts and minds of mortal are fragile. Yes, they are delicate indeed. They come to him, seeking answers and if they get their truth, they shatter. Each one in a different way, but what they have in common is, they break under the pressure and burden the truth brings with it.

Izaya had seen all kinds of reaction to the truth in his life, some resulted in violence. Revenge, against the man who did nothing more or less but what they themselves had asked of him. So by this time, the informant was already used to injuries of various nature. Even concussions. Honestly, he had worse than this measly little concussion he had now. Sure, the pain in the back of his head liked to differ, but this was nothing a few pain meds couldn't cure.

What he was more important now, was getting information. The client this time, was himself. There was a bunch of cards laying before him on the couch table. Each one representing a piece of information that just didn't add up or made sense ever since he woke up at Shinra's. All he had to do was take his time and turn around each card one after the other to get to the information they held.

The first card he turned around, ended up being the king of hearts. Shizuo's card.

Why did he have to turn around this card before any other?

Leaning back into the cushions of his leather couch, he held up the card at a corner, it hung down from his finger tips as if it were something dirty and disgusting.

"Oh, Shizu-chan." he sighed. "You're one unpredictable monster."

The card slipped from his hold and fell down on his lap. Izaya's eyes were wide open, a strange taste in his mouth. The hand that just held the card was brought to his mouth.

Why had it felt so wrong to call the monster, a monster just now? He always called him that. On second thought... What's more disturbing is that he just imagined Shizu-chan being naked! He was even able to picture areas he never even saw back in high school, for he NEVER had seen the beast in all its glory. Worst of all, why did his mind picture a certain something so... big?!

As fast as he could he grabbed the card on his lap, crumbling it in his fist and threw it as far away from him as possible. A red hue adorned his cheeks.

The image he just had was so disturbing, he considered calling Shinra asking him what kind off drugs he gave him while he was out.

Another rumble from the stormy sky had the informant flinch.

"Stupid Shinra and his meds." the ravenette thought. Whatever meds he had given Izaya were most likely the reason for him feeling restless and antsy during the thunderstorm raging outside.

Sighing he stood up stretching his arms above his head. "I need some tea." he said to no one particularly and made his way around the couch heading towards his kitchen.

He was half way there as lightning stroke down right outside the building having the lights go out and the Izaya crumbling down to the floor in a heap of himself. An unmanly shriek left his mouth as he raised both arms over his head shielding it.

It was just after he realized what just happened that another loud noise resounded right at the entrance and the door flew open.

"Izaya!"

 **-o-o-o-o-**

Acting as if nothing happened? Heck no! After all that happened he could never back down and go back to how it was before. He just couldn't.

The feelings he had for that black haired annoyance couldn't be contained by his heart anymore. They had to get out.

As soon as he had made up his mind, he stormed off towards Shinjuku. As he reached Ikebukuro's border rain started to fall from the heavens above. It even started as a true down-pour, accompanied by rumbling thunder. That's how he ended up here. Drenched to the bones pacing in front of a certain info-broker's door, a trail of water all over the tiled floor.

Breathing in and out, he slapped both hands up to his cheeks before approaching the dreaded door.

He was about to ring the doorbell as the loud crash of lightning resounded not too far away, resulting in the lights going out. A not so manly shriek coming from the other side had him break down the door before he was aware of what he had done.

"Izaya!" he shouted his eyes frantically staring around the dark for the desired male. The upper half of the room dividing wall at the flea's entrance area had wooden pillars so if the lights were one he should have been able to see most of the now dark filled abode.

As if on cue electricity came back on, but he still couldn't see the man. Not caring for still wearing his shoes, he walked around the room divider and stopped shortly.

There he was. None other than Orihara Izaya himself. Covering on the floor his hands shielding his head. Shizuo was lucky to see this, for the Flea soon after raised his head to look at the blond intruder. Cheeks coloring red.

"What are YOU doing here?!" the lithe man spew clearly embarrassed.

"God damn it! He's so cute!" Shizuo thought averting his eyes in fear the other could read his thoughts through them.

As he turned back to the other he saw him putting his hands on the floor, raising his upper body to scowl at him.

"Don't tell me you're scared of thunder, Flea." he chuckled. Said flea rose up from the floor as fast as he could and dusted off his pants.

"It's the fault of the meds Shinra has me under, or rather the fault of the concussion YOU gave me." the man said as his familiar mask slipped on. Shizuo hated this mask.

"You still haven't answered my question, brute! What are you doing here? And could you stop wetting my floor?" At this the ex-bartender looked down at his feet, noticing the puddle from rain drenched clothes forming under him.

Ignoring his own the rude behavior he averted his eyes. Scratching the back of his head, he thought of what to say to the flea. Should he just blurt it out and be over with it? Sounds like a plan, doesn't it?

 **-o-o-o-o-**

The urge to run away from the beast of Ikebukuro was never stronger than it was at this very moment. Not only that Shizu-chan saw him cowering in on himself in the dark of his own home, no he also thought he had something as ridiculous as a fear of thunder!

After he rose up from this humiliating position, he moved his hands as if dusting his trousers. The move was more a way for him to regain his cool, for his abode's floors weren't dirty. At least they weren't until this stupid amoeba stormed inside.

"It's the fault of the meds Shinra has me under, or rather the fault of the concussion YOU gave me." Izaya declared smirking at the other. He was sure that Shizu-chan wasn't sleeping in that arm chair at Shinra's with dark circles under his eyes just to beat his enemy up after he's wake up. Maybe the beast felt guilty, seeing it was the first time Izaya went unconscious after one of their fights.

The blond man scowled at him.

"You still haven't answered my question, brute. What are you doing here? And could you stop wetting my floor?" he added shifting his eyes down to the puddle forming under the taller man. His eyes trailed up legs hugged by wet pants to the other's hips, a shirt clinging to a slender waist and a well formed chest, the neck that has a few droplets running down and disappearing under the collar had him swallow and soon his eyes stopped at the other's face, that looked anywhere but him.

Shizu-chan brought a hand to the back of his head and run his fingers through drenched fair locks and all of a sudden the person before him looked different.

There were no wet clothes sticking to the other's body. The man before him wore nothing but a towel around his hips. A drop running down the man's naked chest caught his attention as his eyes couldn't help but follow its trail down past the navel over sharp hipbones as it soon seeped into the towel's fabric.

Izaya didn't even noticed his tongue leaping out to wet dry lips before the sight of wet clothes came back and he found himself blushing madly. In a panic his eyes shot up towards Shizu-chan's face, inwardly sighing in relief as the other still looked elsewhere.

"Izaya..." Shizuo started. His tone made the informant curious.

"I love you."

Three words that had the heat vanish from his face immediate, instead a cold shiver run down his spine.

Whom was he kidding. The life of an informant was more like a game of poker, chess, othello and go combined. He could add many more games to the list if he just felt like it. But maybe...

Yes, at this moment, Orihara Izaya considered his life more to be like a game of ludo.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

* * *

A/N: Hope you liked it! The next chapter is an early one too and will be presented to you on September the 30th. See ya!


	30. Chapter 30 - Painful Storm

A/N: Chapter 30 is here! Enjoy.

* * *

 **Chapter 30 – Painful Storm**

It was deadly silent inside the informant's apartment. The only sound to be heard was the rumbling of thunder as the clouds raged on.

As the blonde, still blushing Heiwajima stared at the smaller man's face he noticed the sudden lack of trembling and flinching at the sounds accompanying the storm.

Izaya's eyes were wider than he had ever seen them. Not the usual bedroom eyes with their mischievous glint. Just thinking of them would have his face turn red if it wasn't already.

The ravenette had no idea what he's done to Shizuo all those years just with the look of his eyes.

This was one of many reasons he put up with Izaya's shit. Another reason for it was seeing how Izaya truly enjoyed their chases. From the moment the cat-like man turned around and the dog gave chase, he could see the false mask slip off the other man's face.

But now, the debt-collector had absolutely no idea what was going on in the other man's head.

As he tried to read the black haired man he noticed his face turn blank. He was shocked at seeing this new reaction. He wasn't hoping for Izaya to be blushing and return his feelings. He waited for hate, anger, disgust. Even mock pity, but this...

"Ha!" hearing a noise finally leaving Izaya's mouth, Shizuo noticed he had averted his eyes to the floor.

Looking up at the info-broker he saw him hugging his arms around himself. He was bend forward while clutching at his stomach. Face down and shoulders trembling.

"Izaya-kun?" the blonde asked worried.

"Pft!" The trembling grew stronger. "Bwah ha ha ha ha" Izaya threw his head back, madly laughing, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. Shizuo grew red once again, this time though for a different reason. "Oi, Flea!" he barked.

"Oh, Shizu-chan." the Flea said laughing for a bit again, before calming down again. "Haaaa... You LOVE me?" The familiar mask came back to Izaya's features. He took a step closer to Shizuo, then another and another. Until he was pressed close to the others chest. Fisting the wet shirt, with one hand while the other drew circles over the blonde's heart. His red-brown eyes met the other's gold-brown ones. Maybe it was just his imagination, but Shizuo could have sworn those orbs turned bloody red.

His heart speed up a mile as Izaya stood on the tips of his toes, his face right beside his own. He swallowed as his crush's warm breath stroke over his ear.

"Is that what you want, Shizu-chan?" the raven haired whispered sensually, wrapping his arms around his beast's neck.

"Me, being this close to you? Holding me in your strong arms?" the informant continued as he moved his head to face the taller one again, while he let his lips over only millimeters away from the blondes skin, his cheek, his lips. A promise of something tasting sweeter than honey while being the deadliest of all the world's poison.

Shizu-chan..." Izaya whispered, his half lidded eyes starring at Shizuo's, shocked and wide open. Not knowing what to do, or what was going on in the first place. He felt paralyzed, clenching and unclenching his hands to fists struggling with his conscious if it was okay to return the other's touch.

He searched Izaya's eyes, his face, for a clue. Wanting... No! Needing to know if what's happening right now is the truth. Was he dreaming?

And then... Izaya's face grew blank again.

"I pity you." he said, pushing away from the brute. Getting save distance between the two of them. "Who could ever love a monster like you?"

Ice cold dread washed over Shizuo's body. Even though he knew Izaya would never return his feelings, there still seemed to have been a tiny sliver of hope inside him. Why else would those words hurt so much?

He felt as if Izaya took his heart right out of his chest, threw it down to the floor and stepped on it countless times while laughing at his enemy's ridiculous feelings.

He hadn't even noticed his own body moving before he felt the familiar sting of broken skin on his knuckles. Coming to his senses he feared he had punched the one he loves, proving him that he wasn't worth of being loved.

A relived sigh left his lips as he saw, he only punched through one of those wooden pillars that adorned the dividing wall of the entrance area.

"See? The only thing you're good at is violence and breaking things. Who do you think has to pay for the repairing? You? With your meager income? Stop kiddi-" "SHUT UP!" Shizuo screamed not looking at the other, missing the flinch that shook the raven's body.

Slowly he drew his arms back, not caring for the bleeding scratches he gained from splintering wood cutting into his flesh while doing so.

"Shut up." he mumbled under his breath. Blood dropping down his arm. The blonde turned on his heels and slowly made his way to the door. It wasn't demolished too much. The hinges were still okay, a bit bent, but he just grabbed for them, pushing and pulling until they looked close to how hinges should look like.

Then he picked up the door and put it back where it belonged. He closed and opened it a few times, clinching at the horrible noise the action made.

"Whatever... At least he can close and lock the door until he gets a new one. Flea has more than enough enemies." he thought to himself deeming himself done now.

Before he finally walked out the door he said: "You have my number, just... Just call or text me how much the repairs cost and I'll pay it back."

That said he left without glancing at the man he still felt nothing but love for.

The storm outside had calmed down to a soft drizzle, but it was lost to the feeling of the storm inside him.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

Izaya showed no reaction as his enemy who just confessed his love to him threw out his fist, destroying part of his home. He didn't flinch for the beast shouting at him to "Shut up". What made him flinch was the hurt in said man's voice.

That's what the info-broker wanted. He wanted Shizu-chan to hurt... Right?

Glancing down at the puddle of water forming under his unwanted guest's feet, he tried to get his thoughts in order. Everything was a mess. His thoughts speed around his head so fast he couldn't grasp any. It was all a buzz, he couldn't think of any coherent words. And then blood.

Blood, was the first thought he could grasp as he saw drops of it mixing with the puddle. Shizu-chan was bleeding! The raven glanced at the injured hand. It didn't look like anything that would hurt to Ikebukuro's beast, bust it still caused an uneasy feeling in Izaya's guts.

The blonde turned around making his way to leave the apartment, while reddish eyes glance down to the puddle with red drops mixing inside it turning into pink splotches.

He could hear the taller man working on his door and a few screeches later he left. The moment the entrance closed it was as if all the warmth left with Shizu-chan, leaving the raven alone inside his freezing cold residence.

A weak chuckle left him as he stepped closer to where Shizu-chan stood not long ago. Getting on his knees before it he let his left hand trail over the surface, tracing through pink splotches, smearing the puddle over his floor.

His right hand grabbed for his shirt, right over his heart. It felt damp from him hugging the brute. His brute, his enemy.

His black bangs fell over his eyes.

"Why, Shizu-chan?" he mumbled before chewing on his lip. "Why now? Why... so late?"

Raising his hand from the floor he let it fall down again. Splashing the puddle with the movement.

"Idiot!" he shouted. "I was... I AM already over you... Stupid idiot!"

 **-o-o-o-o-**

* * *

A/N: So this was the new chappy. Next will be on October the 10th. From here on I'll go back to my usual schedule of a chapter once a month. Please bear with it.

Also thank you all for reading this story!


	31. Chapter 31 - Memory Lane

**Chapter 31 – Memory Lane**

Growing up in a broken family, he witnessed his parents constantly arguing with each other so most of his younger years were spent in his grandparents care, until his mother's pregnancy. After a too short time of piece the quarrels started all over again and it was him mostly taking care of his little sisters while mommy and daddy were at work.

The entirety of his time in middle school they fought over their divorce, the reason why it took them so long to meet on even grounds and finally cutting ties with each other wasn't about their children, the mother gaining custody of the three youngest Orihara's was the only thing they had both agreed on from the very start.

His parents weren't good in teaching their children about feelings and dealing with them. Sure they provided them with their materialistic needs, but when it came to emotions they were hopeless.

What Izaya knew about this topic he gained from the world of books or from watching others.

He learned what emotions did to a person. They could lift them up to the highest only to have them crashing down hard and painful in the aftermath. It scared him. It was one of the many things that scared him. Things a normal kid his age wouldn't even think about.

Emotional pain, isolation, abandonment, death, love… Those were only a few things.

The raven head wanted to be embraced, accepted for his person and loved dearly. He wanted to feel that calm that was supposed to overcome him with it.

But at the same time he was terrified by the thought.

Loving someone only to end up like his parents scared him or like any of the other couples he observed. Opening up to someone only to have them stab you in the back or demand of you to completely change yourself so they'd love you was something he never wanted to experience. Love… True love, should be something unconditional. Where two lives fit into each other like two pieces of a puzzle. Smooth and without pressure.

So as his parents divorce war finally came to an end, he made a vow to himself. He vowed of never falling in love, so he'd never end up with the pain he feared so much.

How ironic he broke said vow not even a month later on his first day in high school as he spotted a blonde mop in the mass of new students.

Back then it was just interest in a possible new toy for him to play with and throw away later, but as his sole friend introduced him with the delinquent looking boy he had the feeling there was more than a little sadistic fun to come for him.

The time he spent with Shizu-chan spewing insults and hateful words at him, the chases and fights they had… It was all so refreshing. He felt lighter, freer. Almost… invincible. As if nothing could hurt him, as long as he and the blonde shared this strange relationship. Then it hit him!

It was on graduation day he finally realized what this thing was he felt for the brute. That the feeling for him was called love.

It disgusted him. Not that he was in love with none other than Heiwajima Shizuo, but that he fell in love with someone in the first place. He realized he was nothing but a weak human who couldn't keep the promises he made to himself.

It wasn't Shizu-chan, the monster, that was disgusting, but him. The brute was something he loved; as crazy as it was; envied, feared and hated.

The envy came from the bleached boy easily managing the things Izaya struggled with. Izaya loved humans; he never wished to be alone, while Shizu-chan wanted to out of fear of hurting them. So why did they flock towards the monster while he was avoided by them?

The fear was for what the Heiwajima represented. He couldn't resist him while the taller one's touch only brought him pain. Shizu-chan despises him with every fiber of his being.

He hated the blonde for making him feel like this, for rendering him to nothing but a plain, weak human. For showing him he wasn't above the rest but one among them… No, for Shizuo he was even less.

So after he had this undesirable revelation his immediate course of action was rejecting those feelings. Making excuses to himself, like it was just his hormones getting the better of him. He was still a teenage boy that got interested in the thought a relationship. He even called it sexual frustration.

So as his favorite business partner offered him to help getting rid of said frustration he felt relived to finally prove him there was no such thing as "love" for the beast residing in his heart.

The end of the story was that he got off from a hand job and freaked out right before Shiki's finger was able to enter him. Feeling disgusted with himself for even considering having sex with any other person than a certain blonde bartender working in west Ikebukuro.

It's only thanks to the yakuza's professionalism they were able to forget this incident and never talked about it again.

The only thing it changed was Izaya not being able to deny his feelings anymore and so he thought of how he could get rid of these feelings.

He had to make sure the monster still hates him, even after all the time they hadn't seen each other since graduation. The hate would have to manifest inside the blonde, so it would become a constant for all eternity. Maybe that way, he'd be able to give up his silly love for the other. By doing something that would have the actually gentle hearted Shizuo hate him so much, he'd be wishing death upon Izaya.

Two weeks later Heiwajima Shizuo got arrested and lost his job, while Izaya moved to Shinjuku, avoiding contact with the blonde for a long time, so he could mend the heart he broke on his very own.

The plan worked. Just getting a glimpse of him alone or even sniff him somewhere nearby was enough for the beast to unleash hell upon the informant. Giving chase after the raven haired man and coming close to seriously injure the smaller a few times too often.

Sure, at the beginning it hurt, but after some time passed, he even relished in that pain. Finally he was able to end this stupid crush he had. Those emotions Shizu-chan had filled him with got lost over time and he regained this empty feeling that had engulfed him before meeting the other. He was back to his old self, where he couldn't tag his emotions anymore. Where happy, sad scared or whatever became sentences like: I breathe. I'm eating. I'm talking.

Feelings turned back into exclamations of what he was doing, not how he was doing. This is how he wanted it to be. All the emotional stuff was too much for him. It was something he didn't need and so he abandoned it.

So why did that protozoa have to come and ruin it all by confessing his love? It irritated Izaya to no ends as he leisurely turned round after round in his chair.

While he did so he noticed his "cheerful" secretary approach his desk, so when Namie slammed the files she worked on down, a familiar scowl on her face the raven didn't jump in surprise, he simply stopped, facing the woman that worked for him.

"I don't know where you were yesterday, actually I don't even care. Do me a favor and rot away behind some dumpster." she said flipping her hair back. Izaya eyed her face for a few seconds before glancing down at the files she placed before him. There was a sudden urge nagging at the back of his mind.

Namie continued her ramble about how she worked her ass off for a lazy boom like him and how thankful he should be she came in for work the last two days even though he didn't even show up once. Izaya didn't care if that was a lie or if she really showed up. He had more important things to keep tabs on than his secretary coming to work or not.

The brunette woman was going on about how much she deserved a raise in her loan or a paid vacation so she could spend some time stalking her beloved little brother, Seiji as her boss outstretched his right hand towards her work.

Her complains were cut short as Izaya, instead of reaching for the files, just shoved them off the table.

Silence stretched around the two as Izaya contemplated in his mind what he just did and Namie looking at her boss as if he was kidding her.

A few seconds of continued silence later she turned on her heels and walked back to her table. Grabbing her purse she nagged how Izaya should get his shit together and call her once he was off whatever meds his freakish friend of a doctor had him on again.

Once the door slammed shut behind her, Izaya raised his hand up towards his face studying his palm. The documents he had swiped to the floor still scattered around there as if they belonged there.

"What just happened?" he asked no one particularly.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

* * *

A/N: As I said last time I'm returning to my schedule of updating once a month. So next chapter will be on November the 10th. Have fun.


	32. Chapter 32 - Two idiots one goal

A/N: Hi there. Man, it was a long day. I'm seriously tired right now. Anyway, here is my next chapter, I hope you enjoy it.

* * *

 **Chapter 32 – Two idiots one goal**

Light shone into a certain bedroom inside the city of Ikebukuro's in full force. It was none other than Heiwajima Shizuo's bedroom. Said man lied rolled up inside his blankets and turned to the other side, groaning while he buried his face into the pillow.

"Wuck!" came a muffled curse, before the rooms lone occupant lifted his head up. Blinking open his honey brown eyes they took their merry time to adjust. Red fluorescent number glared at him as he assed the time. It was

11:17am. He could have slept longer for his tastes considering how taxing yesterday was to him, more mentally than physically.

"Forgot to shut the god damn curtains yesterday." he mumbled. Crashing down his face into the pillow again another groan, clearly frustrated, was to be heard.

Shizuo stayed like that for a few more seconds, before freeing himself from the blanket and making his way out of bed. As he got out, Shizuo realized he still wore yesterday's clothes.

"Mum would kill me if she saw me now." he chuckled while grabbing at the hem of his shirt to pull it up over his head. His mother always told him one doesn't go to bed with their street clothes on.

Shizuo may have been the only one in his family with inhuman strength, but his temperament he surely inherited from his mother. Heiwajima Namiko wasn't someone you should mess with, not even if you were able to rip out street signs and hurl them like as if they were mere paper planes.

Shizuo still remembered her reaction after he first lifted up a fridge to smash his little brother with as if it were yesterday.

She was so worried about her son, shouting at the ambulance to "hurry the fuck up" while his father followed the pacing woman on the phone trying to calm her down.

On the day he got out from hospital she asked him in a worried motherly tone if he was feeling alright. When he nodded she grabbed him by the ear and dragged him to the car. Raging about how he was grounded for being stupid and especially for trying to bury his little brother under a fridge.

She was scary, yes, but after he saw the shopping bag laying on the backseat of the car, tilted to the side so a few cups of his favorite pudding had tumbled out, he was glad his mother wasn't treating him any different now that he had super powers.

Smiling fondly at old memories of his mother the blonde got out of his clothes and bundled them up under one arm. He decided to call his parents again soon, now that he had some time off. His mother would probably scold him for not getting in touch every single day.

Walking out of his bedroom he made a beeline towards his apartment's bathroom. He really needed a shower now. Probably even change the beddings after he got out. It was raining pretty hard yesterday.

Shizuo threw his clothes inside the clothes basket and stepped into the shower.

Even though he got pretty much drenched he just went straight to bed after coming home last night. Not caring for anything else. He just needed to sleep, to rest, calm down even.

It took some time until the water got warm, but this never had bothered him before, so he just started his wash up as soon as the water started poring down on him.

He soon felt a sting, like soap entering an open wound. Confused he looked down at his arm, which was the source of the uncomfortable feeling. It had deep scratches all over and he could see droplets of pink. He knew what it was. He had it seen countless times. Flakes of blood being dissolved and rinsed away from water.

"Right. That happened." He let his head hang low.

He made the decision to visit his childhood friend and doctor for treatment later. Hopefully Celty would be home too so he could chat with her. He really needed a friend to talk to now.

The debt collector made quick work in the bathroom. Stepping out of the room, clad only in a towel around the hips, a little bit more awake and refreshed, he got back to his bedroom for clothes.

As soon as he entered the room, he remembered what he did just the day before yesterday. Shizuo had stripped down completely naked in front of the flea!

Sure, by that time he still hadn't known Kuro was actually Izaya, but still.

"Fuck." he said through clenched teeth brushing his fingers through his still damp locks.

Izaya would never let him live this down… Considering Izaya still came near him after he had confessed his feelings for the black haired informant. Probably not.

Shizuo wasn't sure if he still had the power to chase him through the city's streets. Probably that won't be happening again either. Izaya will surely lose any interest he had in him thanks to his brute strength.

No taunts, no fights, chases… The worst thing… No Orihara Izaya being part of his life anymore.

"This sucks." he spoke out loud into the loneliness of his home.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

Tokyo's most feared informant happily skipped down the streets of Ikebukuro. He was in high spirits… at least it looked like that.

In reality, he was quite irritated. After his secretary left early, he had a phone call with his probably favorite client, Shiki and just had a short meeting with him.

Saying the chat was weird was an understatement. Shiki apparently knew from Shinra that he was out like a light after his last fight with the blonde brute. Also the doctor had told him Izaya would be out of business for exactly two weeks. Well, this wouldn't have been weird, if it wasn't for a certain comment the yakuza had made while they were on the phone.

"So they turned you back?" Shiki had asked. Izaya had no answer to that so he just played it over with his usual charm. And while they had met up inside the executive's car the sharp info-broker had the constant feeling that the other knew something he didn't.

"I still won't give you any jobs until those two weeks are over. I already told that underground doctor you should see it as some kind of vacation. I want one of my top informants in top health." the man said lighting up a cigarette.

Not even the fact Shiki had called him only one of a group top informants at his disposal got him to stray from his suspicion. Izaya knew that he IS the best and no one could take that title from him. Not even that internet shut-in, Tsukumoya.

Izaya also didn't care about not getting any jobs from the Awakusu-Kai for the next two weeks. He had enough other clients who were waiting for their god to work his magic.

But then, as he was about to leave Shiki had rolled down the car's window.

"By the way, Informant-san." he called after him. "Go talk with Kishitani-sensei and Heiwajima and get that get that kindergarten you three have out of the picture."

The raven's mask only slipped for a second, before he righted it and smirked at the other man. Putting his hands inside the pockets of his trade-mark jacket he spread them apart so the fabric spread similar to wings behind him.

"I assure you, Shiki-san." Izaya chirped. "I'm just the poor little kid playing inside the sand box getting bullied by the unruly delinquent child."

The yakuza took a drag form his cigarette. "I wonder if it isn't the other way around." he said, waving his free hand towards the driver and soon the car speeded away.

With no one around the raven's face bared a frown.

"Guess it's time to pay a visit to my dear friend." he sang skipping off.

That's how he ended up here. Only one block away from Kishitani Shinra's home slash doctor's office, humming a made-up tune while playing with the knife inside his pocket.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

Inside the Kishitani residence a certain brunette with glasses, sneezed.

"Ah! Seems like I'm getting sick. I hope Celty comes back home soon to warm me with her body. Maybe she'll even dress up as a nur…se…" Shinra's rambling slowed down at the last word as realization hit him.

"This is perfect! Celty as the beautiful but klutzy nurse and me the doctor who has to reprimand her for being careless!" He shivered as he hugged himself a dreamy smile on his face.

"Celty, my love! Come ho~me~!"

 **-o-o-o-o-**

* * *

A/N: A little shorter than the last but an update. Next one is planned for December the 10th BUUUUUT it could change since there may come some changes in my work schedule pretty soon. If there is a change in the date you'll find it inside my profile. But for now… I need some sleep TAT


	33. Chapter 33 - Reverse Role Play

A/N: And again, hadn't checked for any typos. Please forgive me and still bear with it.

* * *

 **Chapter 33 – Reverse Role Play**

Kishitani Shinra wasn't someone who'd often find himself regretting a decision, but sitting here on the couch in his living room with a box full of cat toys, he found himself rethinking a few choices he made in the past few days.

One for example, was agreeing to his beloved Celty taking over some of the easy work originally planned for the Awakusu-kai's top informant.

Another was him ordering all kinds of toys online, right after Shizuo had left with his cat-turned enemy slash not-so-secret crush. And forgetting about it so soon.

He was so happily fantasizing about the dullahan in a nurse outfit when the doorbell rang. The poor mailman looked quite distraught and at a loss for words when Kishitani-san threw open the door, eagerly asking him to play doctor games.

So back to the question at hand, what to do with all those cat toys? When he ordered them he still thought Izaya'd stay a kitten for the entirety of two weeks, not having to be turned back the next day in order to save him from the brink of death.

Shinra had thought of bringing all those toys with him on his next visit, hoping to get the proud Orihara to play with them and taking some videos with his phone; some fond memories for the future.

Now that Izaya was human again, he couldn't just give them to him... or could he?

Tilting his head to the side the doctor thought about the past two days. For a fact, the info-broker had gained cat instincts while he was turned and who knew if all the mess of losing his memories, human self and almost dying didn't leave some side effects.

Sick excitement bubbled up inside the man as he pulled out a red mousy toy, the bell inside jingling softly.

The doorbell rang a second time that day. The toy was dropped back into the box where different sorts of balls in many colors, mousy toys in many sizes and other things a cat would love to get its paws on resided.

Walking towards the entrance he hoped that this time it would be his dearly beloved headless fairy. And for a second time that day he was eager to throw open the door to wrap his arms around his angel. "Cel-Oh... It's you." he chirped not losing his smile at seeing none other than Orihara Izaya standing before him.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

Izaya was used to his friend being weird. It would be more alarming if Shinra acted like a normal functioning human being for once. The raven haired man knew when to expect the doctor attempting a new experiment on him. Seriously, if Shinra so badly wanted to examine his brain he should just ask if he could have a CT of his head. Izaya could frame the picture and put it on his desk.

Anyway, now that he was on strict rest by "doctor's" orders the brunette would never try one of his experiments on his friend.

So with this knowledge the black haired man had no qualms accepting the tea his friend offered to him while Izaya sat down on the couch. Though the feeling of Shinra's undivided attention still lingered.

"So..." the informant began. "I've seem to have been missing something while I was unconscious." The liquid smelled as it should, so he made a tentative sip. Nothing out of the ordinary.

"Well, you were sleeping for a whole day, I can't imagine that much happening in Ikebukuro. Buuut I'm no information broker." The doctor made a sip from his own cup. Eyes never leaving Izaya.

A slight frown marred the raven's face, his eyes wandered towards the open box on the couch table.

"You're getting a cat?" he asked after eyeing the content. The doctor's eyes left his friend's face, looking down at all the cat toys.

"Oh, no. Shizuo watched over a stray, but the ungrateful little kitty ran away again. Too bad, I wasted all those shots on it."

A shudder ran down his back as Shinra cheerfully explained to him the reason for all those toys.

The soft clinking of the brunette's cup against the table top brought the black haired man back. His reddish brown eyes watching the toys rolling around inside the box as Shinra lifted it up.

"I should give them to Shizuo anyway, his brother has a cat, but you know that already, do you?"

Eyes still following the box the man nodded. "Maru-san." he confirmed making Shinra halt in his step. "Who?" he questioned.

Izaya's eyes widened. "Ah, no. What was that beasts name again? Something ridiculous." he mumbled.

"Beast? I thought you like cats?" the bespectacled man was surprised. The informant's brows furrowed. "Not that one." The why, though, was lost to him.

Shrugging the lab coat wearing one turned around again, seeing that Izaya's attention was lost in thought he prepared himself to trip over his own feet.

As Shinra fell the box tumbled and all the contents scattered around. A bright pink ball bouncing up high caught Izaya's attention. In a flash the man jumped up and caught the cheeky thing. With. His. Teeth!

With the grave of a cat he landed in a crouch one hand steadying himself on the floor the other raised and curled to his chest, the gesture looking like a cat's paw.

Time seemed to have frozen as Shinra lying on the floor looked at his friend with wide amused but partly shocked eyes.

Izaya's face was the picture of confusion, before it changed to realization followed by horror.

The shutter of a camera's broke the spell. Both men looked at the door leading to the hallway, where Celty and Shizuo stood. The later with his phone out, camera pointed towards Izaya.

Immediately a blush took over the raven's face and another shutter sound resounded inside the apartment.

The pink ball bounced up and down a few times before rolling away, Izaya's face a mask, while his hand slipped inside his coat's pocket.

Expecting what's likely to come, the blonde slid his phone away inside his back pocket and took flight.

"Shi~zu~chan!" the raven snarled jumping up and took off after Ikebukuro's monster immediately.

In silence the Irish fairy and the manic doctor stared after them. "You think Shizuo's gonna send me the pic when I ask him?" Shinra asked his lovely angel earning a defeated drop of shoulders.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

Leaning against the van, Kadota waited for his two otaku friends to finally come out of the store they entered an hour ago. In the mean time Saburo was fangasming over a magazine featuring a whole new article about Hijiribe Ruri.

It was one of those rare peaceful days in Ikebukuro. Sure gang wars and yakuza activities probably would never seize to exist in this town, but the last two days there was no major destruction of the city due to a certain duo of enemies.

A sigh left the man's lips as his gaze drifted up to the clouds. "Wonder when those two finally grow up?" Kadota mumbled to himself.

"Who do you mean, Dota-chin?" He wasn't expecting a certain yaoi fangirl standing right next to him.

"Don't sneak up to me like that!" he complained trying to calm down his near heart attack. Erika was just about to say something when Walker beat her to it. "Isn't that Heiwajima Shizuo running towards us?"

looking into the direction the otaku pointed at they indeed saw Ikebukuro's strongest razing down the side walk. It looked just like all those times he chased after his nemesis, only difference he looked troubled rather than angered AND there was no Orihara Izaya running away from him.

"What's he doing?" the pyromaniac beside him asked, though before he could say something their answer came. With a knife burying itself inside the car right beside Kadota's face. Here goes another close heart attack, but it was soon forgotten as they noticed a figure running after the blonde ex-bartender.

"Come back here, Shizu-chan!" the famous raven haired, red brown eyed man screeched in a deadly way.

The trio blinked as Heiwajima run past them. Orihara didn't even cast a glance at them as he stopped right before his old classmate only to pull out the knife that was buried inside the van's door. It only took a few second to regain his weapon before he raced off after his blonde beast again.

Three pairs of eyes followed the surreal sight. One pair narrowed into slits as the owner mumbled about how three days without sleeping just to watch anime may have been too much, while one pair was still wide open ans their owner slid down against the wall, trying to sort out inside his head what just happened. The thrid pair twinkled like stars.

"Oh! My! GOSH! Did you see that?! It's canon! I'm telling you, it's canon!" the woman squealed her lungs out. "I bet Iza Iza caught Shizu Shizu in a situation with another guy and mistook it for Shizu Shizu cheating on him! KYAH!"

The van's driver door opened up, soon after Saburo rounded the front to stand before his friends on the other side.

"What's going o- WHAT HAPPENED TO MY VAN?!"

 **-o-o-o-o-**

* * *

A/N: Sooooo, schedule is still crazy, so until further notice in my profile's news headline the next chapter will be on January the 10th. Until then have a nice Christmas or whatever you're celebrating and a happy new year.


	34. Chapter 34 - Slip Up

A/N: Same old me not checking former chapters of typos *sigh* I hope my notebook comes back from repairs soon. It'll be so much easier using that to do it. I could do it everywhere. Anyway, enjoy the update.

* * *

 **Chapter 34 – Slip up**

With a scowl on his face from thinking too hard and wearing his usual bartender get up, the beast of Ikebukuro was noticed as such in no time. People who cared for their health stepped out of his way immediately. The only one brothering him was a certain black Russian advertising for his workplace. As Simon saw the man with hair as bright as the sun walk by he tried calling him over for sushi that would turn his frown upside down but got ignored like he does occasionally. Puberty, the man simply thought as he latched his attention to a middle aged man passing by and scaring him to a near heart attack from looming over him.

Anyway, what would Heiwajima Shizuo give if his problem was nothing but puberty? People grow up from that phase, so why can't his problem not be as simple? Why can't people just grow out of love like it would be nothing but a phase? Sure some make it look like it were just that easy, but those cases couldn't be called true love, could they? And as unwilling Shizuo was to admit, he was sure the fucking flea was none other than his true love. How couldn't he?! After all the shit Izaya had done to him he still couldn't bring himself to outright hate him.

Izaya made him furious, that's for sure. Annoyed the hell out of him and brought out Shizuo's worst sides, but all this never changed the deep gentle feelings for the raven haired man he kept locked up inside him.

So what was he about to do now? He had confessed and he got rejected, in a pretty hurtful way none the less. The informant really had a knack for hitting others with his words where they would hurt the most, leaving long lasting damage.

He really hoped Celty could give him some good advice.

Shizuo slightly faltered in his step. Or maybe… Maybe he should rather ask Shinra for help. The guy dealt with unrequited love for twenty years and his persistence had won him the girl's none beating heart!

While he continued on his way the blonde imagined what would be if he pursued his love for the smaller man like how Shinra did for Celty. His image was racing down the streets of Ikebukuro after the informant, a vending machine with a red bow nicely wrapped around in tow while he was screaming from the top of his lungs: "I~za~ya~kuuuun! Stay still and let me love you!"

As creepy as that may be it still caused a burst of laughter from him as he wrapped his arms around his stomach. People got even more aware and warry of him now.

Seriously, how different was Image Shizuo from the real Shizuo? All those "I'll kill you" where nothing more than his way of secretly telling his crush how much he loved him as he chased after his pretty ass trying to get his undivided attention.

For real! Why had it taken him so long to realize how fucked up he was? He was no better than Izaya, they really should just start dating and be fucked up broken beings together rather than alone, but how to convince the other.

Ah! And there his mind drifted back to his problem. How could he compare himself to Izaya? The guy fucking hates him! He made that clear just the night before. Not even Shinra would know how to win over the love of someone who hates your entire existence.

Dropping his shoulders a defeated sigh left the debt collector's lips. A familiar neigh caught his attention making him look up and turn his head around until he spotted that yellow blue cat helmet a few meters away. His face brightened up as he spotted his friend his feet already carrying him towards her.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

Today definitely wasn't her day. Not only that she had much more work to do now that she had to take over some of Izaya's share from the Awakusu for the stunt Shinra and her had put him through, no she also had to flee from those motorcycle policemen again. A shudder crawled down her spine as she thought back to the last chase. Her dear companion, Shooter, let out a none-satisfied neigh as she wiped over the same spot for the up tenth time. _This_ , was the icing on the cake named "bad day".

Right after she had delivered her last package for today to a shady looking man, she happily walked back to where she left her trusted horse turned motorbike. The headless fairy already imagined herself soaking up inside a nice hot bath for today's afternoon. Celty worked hard to finish up all her work so early. She should probably send Shinra out to do some shopping so she could relax without getting offers to share her bath with him.

Well… That was her plan before she saw a bird dropping its load right on top of Shooter. One more reason to hate them! Why do they always have to do that?! Her horse may look like a vehicle but he's a Cóiste Bodhar.

For a second she contemplated if she should let him have a nice long bath instead. Who wouldn't feel better taking one after receiving a bird's load?

"Yo, Celty!" The sudden call of her name started the Irish to near death. It probably would have if she were able too.

Turning around she was met with the sight of none other than Heiwajima Shizuo.

" _Oh Shizuo, its you."_ her fingers typed on the phone with practiced ease after she got it out of her shadow suit. _"Don't startle me like that."_

A small smile tucked at the man's lips. "Sorry." he said too silent for his usual self.

" _You had a bad day too, huh. Wanna talk about it?"_ she askedearning a much brighter smile from her friend. "Sure. I was on my way to visit you and Shinra anyway."

So the two of them took a stroll towards her home, talking about their bad days. Hearing about what had happened to the debt collector she felt ashamed for whining so much about her own day which wasn't so bad compared to his rudely turned down confession last night. Shinra's plan really went overboard. He… No. _They_ had a lot to atone for.

The Irish decided to pay the informant a visit in order to set things straight. As much as she may not like him, he had a right to know what they did to him. Even in case he wouldn't accept her apology, it would still make her feel less guilty. Only less, because she still had no idea how to help Shizuo. Listening to him talk about Orihara Izaya she knew how much he truly loved that guy. It was a shame, but maybe it was just because the man had something to him that only the blonde was able to see. Regardless she still hoped he friend's unrequited love would be returned. She would try her best on helping Shizuo to reach that goal.

With a promise to later sneak him up into the apartment for a bath, Celty left Shooter standing on his underground parking spot pitch. It didn't took them long to reach her and Shinra's home and as soon as they entered they heard the doctor's scream and a thud right after from the living room.

They sight greeting the black rider and Ikebukuro's strongest was not what they expected. Sure, Shinra lying on the floor surrounded by a bunch of cat toys wasn't as much surprising since they heard him fall down. The thing that made them speechless was none other than the prideful information broker, Orihara Izaya, crouching down on the floor with a sickingly pink ball between his lips, one hand raised, reminding her a bit of a maneki-neko.

If Celty had a head, she would be speechless now, same as the blonde man beside her. While her beloved and the black haired man acting suspiciously like a cat still had to notice their presence, she noticed Shizuo pulling his phone out of his back pocket. She already knew what he was about to do before the traitorous sound of the phone's camera broke the silence that had formed around them.

 **-o-o-o-o-**

Shizuo had truly underestimated Izaya all those years. He always thought that running away was easy, but now that it was him being chased he was proven wrong. To be honest it was the contrary. It was easy being the chaser. All you had to do is not losing your target from your sight. While running away you had to plan your escape route as you go, there was no time waste on thinking which way to go. His Flea truly is amazing.

At that thought the fortissimo was holding back the urge to hit his head against the wall right in front of him. His luck to run into a dead end.

Hearing the smaller man's harsh breathing from behind, the larger male turned around to face him. He would protect those photos he made at all costs. They were just too cute to delete.

"Shi- Shizu… chan." Izaya had a hard time breathing right now. It went unnoticed by the blonde though. Shizuo was too distracted by the red flushed face and the disheveled hair his Flea had.

"Give… me your phone." Breathing turned a little easier for the raven now, his heart still racing from adrenaline. The blonde's head shook "no".

A dark chuckle resounded inside the dead end alley they stood facing each other. "Oh?" Izaya lifted an eyebrow. "Because you love me?" he spoke, poison dripping from the words that now left him easier than before.

Shizuo frowned. "So what?!" he snapped. "I love you, what's so bad about it despite it's you little shit I'm loving, huh?!"

A scoff was his immediate answer. "Love is stupid." More harsh words from the raven's mouth. "Is not!" the blonde defended.

"It makes you act as if you're high on drugs! It causes nothing but pain!" Izaya clarifies taking an angry but shaking step forward, one that Shizuo was too irritated for about the other's words to even notice.

"You're saying it as if you know what love is. Don't pretend you know something you never even tried out!"

Izaya's body was obviously swaying. Thinking back on it Shizuo should have realized by now that something was definitely wrong.

"Oh, I know your stupid _love_." Izaya air quoted the despised word. "It's useless! What does love do for you? Nothing!"

The smaller man turned angrier with each word, or… was it more frustration?

"It only weakens you and causes pain! All it did for me was making me fall for some idiot who told me I'm pissing him off the very first time we've met!"

As those words had left Izaya's lips, the ex-bartender was frozen. A mixture of shock and bliss coursed through him as his mind processed the meaning of those words. This wasn't just wishful thinking, was it?

"Iz-" he had planned on saying his crush's name, but as he finally took in the heavy breathing man with his body swaying like a leaf in the wind he stopped himself. His eyes widened.

"Oh shit!" the man cursed while he lunged forward in order to catch the body caving in on itself right in front of him.

Holding the flea's lithe body in his arm, Shizuo let the back of his other hand brush away the silky black bangs from Izaya's forehead. It was mated with cold sweat.

"Damn you, shitty Flea. Stop making me worry about you all the time." he mumbled hugging the man to his chest before collecting him in both arms, lifting him up bridal style.

"And don't even think this will get you out of answering my questions later."

 **-o-o-o-o-**

* * *

A/N: My schedule is still crazy, actually it's more chaotic than before, but for now February the 10th still stands for the next update. If there'll be a change you can read it in my profile's news headline. If there's no update there, that should only mean there'll be no change on the date. I'm trying to get everything back in order soon.


	35. Chapter 35 - Love is gentle, isn't it?

A/N: MADE IT! Phew! Finished the last bit right on time... Well, at least where I life. Sorry for all those who already have the 11th. It's a short chapter (like all the others) but whatever...

* * *

 **Chapter 35 – Love is gentle, isn't it?**

"It's amazing Celty! I never thought this could happen." the underground doctor happily chatted while he crawled around on the floor, recollection all the scattered cat toys from earlier.

"You think there're more side effects? Will they go away or will they stay? This is so exciting, Celty!"

All the Dullahan could answer to her fiancé's way too happy babbling was a solemn heave of her shoulders. If she'd have a head a deep sigh would have left her lips as she sat slumped in defeat on the couch.

This was all a mess. Why had she let Shinra talk her into that nonsense? She wouldn't have so much stress at work now, Shizuo wouldn't be close to beating her boyfriend up next time he's doing something stupid and the informant, whose probably very suspicious by now will soon find out what happened and whose fault it all was.

A year ago she would have never thought, she'd ever give in to the brunette's courting. Well... A week ago she'd also never thought she'd become a widow before even marrying her nutcase of a boyfriend. Life sure goes the strangest ways sometimes.

The ringing of the door bell pulled her out of her musings.

"That's... Ungh! ... probably Shizuo. Come here you little... Could you let him in?" she heard Shinra's voice, while said man was trying to reach a ball that rolled under the couch. Why he just didn't try grabbing for it from the other side was a riddle to the headless fairy. Nonetheless she stood up and carefully stepped over the specs wearing male.

Another ring had her hurry in her steps, she wasn't able to just shout "on my way" in times like these.

As she finally reached the entrance, she was met with none other than Heiwajima Shizuo on the other side of the door with...

judging from the behind...

what looked like none other than Orihara Izaya thrown over the blond man's shoulder.

"Yo! Can I come in?" the ex-bartender asked, carelessly shifting the hopefully unconscious body from slipping off where it was placed. Stepping aside she let her best friend pass by and followed him to the living room.

The brunette who seemed to have given up on the ball under their couch was on his knees, cleaning his glasses as they entered the room.

"Oh!" he exclaimed after laying eyes on Ikebukuro's infamous duo.

"It's not my fault, ok?! He just-" Shizuo started but got interrupted by his childhood friend. "That's not what I'm surprised about. I actually thought you'd rather carry him princess style and not like a sack of rice."

Risking a glance at the taller man's face Celty saw him frown in confusion.

"Why would I? He's a flea not a princess. And like that, I still have a hand free."

As if to emphasize his point, he once again resettled the unresponsive informant on his shoulder. For someone who claimed to love the informant the ex-bartender wasn't treating Izaya in a very gentle manner.

Shinra was now standing again, brushing off any dust that came onto his pristine white lab coat.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because you're so in love with him?" A mischievous gin played around his lips. "But I can see how much better that way of carrying your loved one is. Makes it easier to fondle their ass."

At the same time Celty and Shizuo let their gaze wander to where the blond held onto the body over his shoulder.

Celty couldn't help the gesture of her hand rising up to where her lips would be to stifle a laughter as her friend's face grew bright red.

"Idiot!" the hot headed one yelled while throwing the informant on the couch as if he were nothing but a rag doll. As the man's body bounce up once, the Irish feared he'd fall off and onto the floor, but luckily the body stilled while staying where Shizuo had thrown it.

"Is that a way to treat someone you love? No wonder he-" "Shut up!"

Knowing what was about to happen the Dullahan stepped in between both man, taking her PDA out she started typing down a message.

 _"He's not dead, is he? Why's he unconscious? What happened?"_ the text said. Shizuo flushed red before a frown took over his features again.

"That's something I wanna know too." he growled. The fact he had blushed there for a second, was something that still got her interest, though she'd have to wait for a later time to ask him about it.

"Don't worry. It's nothing serious. I actually thought he'd keel over much earlier." Came the carless sounding reply of the doctor who was currently taking the info-broker's pulse.

"What?!" _"What?!"_ was the blonde's exasperated and Celty's written reply.

The brunette was now shining a light into his friend's eyes while holding open the eyelids with two fingers.

"You forgot he has a concussion? Of course his body won't take it nicely when he over exerts himself like that. Not even speaking of his unhealthy eating and sleeping habits. It'll bite him back in his thirties if he doesn't change a few habits of his."

The doctor's head shot up, eyes open wide in worry, which in turn worried the ex-bartender. "What?! What is it?!"

"Ops. That fell under doctor's confidentially, right?" And there the couch table was lifted over an angry man's head.

"That's it! I'm gonna crush you!"

 **-o-o-o-o-**

A small struggle with Celty's shadows trying to safe her furniture later, the monster of Ikebukuro was out on his friend's balcony, smoking.

In the end the headless fairy did manage to save the couch table AND her boyfriend. Though the last one only because he needed someone competent enough to take care of his flea, and as crazy as Shinra was, he was the best underground doctor he'd known. Heck, the crazy shithead is even better than all those licensed doctors.

Still, once Izaya was better he'd think of a way to make his childhood friend pay for all the shit he had them going through recently.

But before that...

He'd still have to talk to the ravenette.

" _Love is stupid."_

 _"All it did for me was making me fall for some idiot who told me I'm pissing him off the very first time we've met!"_

Those words... Words which made his heart soar with happiness AND squeezed it painfully at the same time. They sounded like a confession of love from Izaya's side. A love, Shizuo himself had crushed the very moment he opened his mouth towards Izaya for the very first time.

"Damn it!" Shizuo gritted his teeth. How could he make up for his past mistakes?

 **-o-o-o-o-**

* * *

A/N: I miss my notebook *sigh* Whatever… Next update is on March the 10th until further notice.


End file.
